Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

It's almost Halloween — and the creepy dolls are back in Rochester.

The History Center of Olmsted County is running another edition of its now-annual 

This year's edition features nine more antique dolls from the museum's collection of about 100 dolls — with names like Lizzie Borden and Miss Abyss. They're in various states of repair, adding to their charm or creepy quality, depending on how you see them.

“We select nine dolls from the collection and give them fun names and put them out on social media and ask for people to vote on which they think is the creepiest,” said Wayne Gannaway, executive director of the history center.

'Creepy Doll Contest' returns for Halloween at Minnesota museum

Who's the creepiest of them all? Olmsted County holds scary doll contest

Voting continues through Friday on the History Center's 

 pages. On Saturday, the museum will hold a cocktail party where the winning doll will be crowned. The event will feature a jazz band, cocktails inspired by each of the dolls, and the dolls themselves on display.

Gannaway said that while the contest provides some Halloween entertainment, it's also a way to help the community see and appreciate local history.

"The dolls were at one time someone’s prized possession," Gannaway said. "I think that’s something really special about this contest. It brings that to light. So on the one hand, there’s this sometimes unnerving sense that the dolls look creepy, but on the other hand, I think people intuitively understand, 'Wow, that doll was loved at one time.' "

This is the third edition of the Creepy Doll Contest; it was first held in 2019.

Ava Ewald

Author

This year's contest features nine more antique dolls from the History Center of Olmsted County’s collection. They're in various states of repair, adding to their charm or creepy quality, depending on how you see them.

Creepy dolls are back at Olmsted Co. museum (just don't turn your back on them)

Go Deeper.

Like this?