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#HistoricObjectTuesday | This doll was a gift to Harriet Lane from an admirer during her time as First Lady of the United States. Its head, neck, and shoulders are made of wax, while the body, limbs, and hands are crafted from kid leather and filled with sawdust. The doll features auburn human hair, matching Harriet's. Although the original clothes are lost, a mid-19th century replica gown, believed to be made by Harriet herself, now covers the doll. The doll has been on many adventures over the years. Harriet gifted the doll to one of her cousins, Thomas Charlton Henry, who later donated the doll to the Philadelphia Art Museum. In the mid-1900s, the doll found her way back to James Buchanan’s Wheatland, which later merged with LancasterHistory in 2009. Today, she sits upon a doll sized chair in Harriet's bedroom, home once more.(📸 Shianne Hargrove, LancasterHistory.

📝 "A Cinderella Story: Harriet Lane's Doll at Wheatland" Co-Written by Stephanie Celiberti, Historic Site Administrator, and Mary Alice Wheeler, LancasterHistory Volunteer)
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