AV Historical POI - Terri Lee Doll Factory Traditional Cache

This is a series of caches that showcases historical points of interest in the Town of Apple Valley.
See the list of all the caches in the series: Bookmark List.
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The Terri Lee Doll factory operated in Apple Valley from about 1952-60. The Apple Valley plant offered several new ideas that helped make a world renowned name for the Terri Lee doll. The site of the Terri Lee Doll Factory is currently used as the Apple Valley Library.

The Terri Lee Doll was an innovation developed by Violet Lee Grahwohl in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1946. A fire destroyed the original plant, and the company moved to Apple Valley. The dolls were based on Violet’s daughters, Terri Lee and Connie Lynn. Grahwohl said her goal was to develop a doll that was indestructible. Terri Lee was the first doll with hair that could be washed and set and had a complete, good quality wardrobe, with costumes ranging from a cowgirl to ice-skater. There was even a specially designed pattern for her clothing so you could sew your own outfits.

Another first was the lifetime guarantee. If your Terri Lee Doll was broken or damaged, you could send it to the “hospital” located in Apple Valley. This location on Wakita Road was used to design and make the Terri Lee clothes, hand paint the dolls’ eyes, curl the dolls’ hair and do other finishing work. The molds for the dolls were made in metal buildings on Central Road and Highway 18.

It is interesting to note that Mr. Bob Paluzzi, owner of the building for the past 30 years, is a former vice-president of Terri Lee Dolls.

- From the brochure Historical Points of Interest in AppleValley