Story Lady to host 50th birthday party for Barbie

Published 9:02 am Friday, March 27, 2009

The Story Lady Doll and Toy Museum will be celebrating Barbie’s 50th birthday with a party at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Cathy Porter and Barb Goodemann, two members of the first Barbie generation, will lead the celebration and share their dolls from years past and present.

Many may not know the story of how Barbie came to be. As Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, watched her daughter play with fashion paper dolls, she realized that there were no affordable three-dimensional fashion dolls available. Ruth created the first Barbie doll as a teenage fashion model, and presented her to the world at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. Priced at $3, more than 300,000 dolls sold that first year. Barbie was a hit!

Though Barbie is often considered a California girl, she is originally from Willows, Wis., and went to Willows High School. Her full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts. She has her own fan club. Barbie participates in many sports and is a singer as well. She has had more than 108 careers over the years and has run for president four times.

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More than 70 famous couturiers have created fashions for her over the years. This year, to celebrate her 50th birthday, Barbie had her own runway show at New York Fashion Week in February. Fifty-one American designers created outfits for the show.

Party guests are asked to bring their favorite doll for show and tell. There will be birthday decorations, cake, games and prizes. The program is for those from 2 to 92. Admission is free to children and members, and $2 for all others.