The History of Cabbage Patch Dolls

Cabbage Patch dolls were a phenomenon of the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were known as Cabbage Patch Kids, and almost every little girl wanted one.

The Creator

Xavier Roberts was an art student when he first began making soft sculpture figures. He was working as the manager of a craft store to put himself through school when he came up with the idea of selling the dolls, which he called Little People, with adoption papers.

BabyLand General Hospital

In 1978 Xavier began marketing his Little People dolls. That year he opened BabyLand General Hospital in a renovated medical clinic to sell the dolls.

Mass Production

In 1983 Xavier sold the rights to produce the dolls to a toy company, and the name was changed to Cabbage Patch Kids. The mass-produced dolls differ from the handmade ones in that they have vinyl heads and are smaller in size.

Success

The Cabbage Patch Kids were so successful when introduced in 1983 that production could not keep up with demand. More than 3 million were sold, or adopted in Cabbage Patch terms.

Milestone

In 2003 the 25th anniversary of BabyLand General Hospital was celebrated. Xavier Roberts, appeared at a signing event for the first time in 15 years.

The Present

In 2007 a groundbreaking was held for a new home for BabyLand General Hospital. A large complex with a retail store, a historical archive for the Cabbage Patch Kids and meeting facilities, it is intended to be a destination for those interested in the dolls.

References

• Cabbage Patch Kids, Highlights from Our History