American Girl Doll - Past & Present by:Lisa-Marie Cabrelli
The history of the American Girl Doll is a phenomenon that cropped up during the year of 1986
, originally being founded by Pleasant Rowland. It has long since been a popular icon ever since, primarily focusing on preteen characters for dolls, accessories and books, which continues to flourish today.Pleasant T. Rowland was a writer, educator and business woman. In 1984 she was on the lookout for realistically-rendered dolls to provide as presents for her nieces. During her search, she noticed that many of the dolls failed to fit the bill, either being baby dolls that were more aimed at mothering, or more preteen-like dolls not appropriate to the stage of her nieces development.
Her inspiration for the dolls first started when she visited Colonial Williamsburg - a place well-known for being steeped in United States history. She appreciated the fact that the place offered such accessibility to those who had an interest in its historical values, and got the idea to incorporate those same values and link to history in a line of dolls and books. This approach allowed for both educational and historical values to be incorporated with entertainment that would still be appealing to pre-teen girls.
The first American Girl Doll catalogs arrived in 1986, debuting in the first line of dolls were Kirsten Larson, Molly McIntire and Samantha Parkington. Samantha Parkington was a Victorian-era girl from the year 1904, while Kirsten Larson was a pioneer girl during 1854. Molly McIntire represented a young girl growing up in the World War II era.
With the sale of the first few dolls, Pleasant Rowland also included three books which focused on historical-related stories for Samantha, Kirsten and Molly. These stories helped to offer an entertaining way for young ladies to gain educational insight, while still being able to have fun. After the first three books, she went ahead and added another three to go along with a variety of accessories as well.
Later on, these German-designed dolls were joined with other items such as The American Girl Magazine and more fiction and nonfiction related books. Some of the older dolls eventually became retired, and the company introduced the 18-inch American Girls of Today dolls. Other new dolls also included the Bitty Twins and Bitty Baby collections.
The owner of the Barbie doll, Mattel, Inc. eventually bought out the Pleasant Company in 1997, later changing the brand's name to simply American Girl. Nowadays, the company has expanded to numerous stores and boutiques throughout the United States, all of which carry dolls, accessories and even a few that boast restaurants as well. Several American Girl movies have also since come into production, like Samantha: An American Girl Holiday or Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.
Even to this day, the line continues to grow in its overall popularity. In the end, the success is the result of Rowland's original intent of providing age-appropriate dolls with values, integrity and a sense of history.
About the author
Lisa-Marie is the owner of Emily Rose Doll Clothes. Come and see www.dollsclothes-emilyrose.com. Visit us and join the fun! Gum Disease Treatments Snapping Up The Beautiful Sagas Of The Kentucky Oaks And Derby With Help To Louisville, Usa Hotels F Unreal cities: Sohei Nishino's magical photographic maps of London, Tokyo and utopia Find out how to Shop for Clip-in Hair Extensions by:Dean Cane Jeep Women Men Army Military Hat Capwhich One Do You Like? Sizzle Your Wardrobe And Be In Style With These Fashion Tips SEO and PPC - How They Differ Avoid Buying Over Budget Engagement Rings Where The Best Jumbo Loan Is Available African American Women The Permanence ad Style of Boutique Hotels How To Buy The Best Longaberger Basket Drawing The Best Web Design For Online Advertising You Can Now Watch Every Episode Of The Simpsons Online