OCR Document


 

"AUNT BETTS' ATTIC": MONROE, MICHIGAN 

I was in Monroe, Michigan, just about an hour southwest of Detroit, in 
October of 2004 to attend my younger son's wedding. Having some time on 
our hands, my wife and I, accompanied by our older son and his wife, 
decided to visit the Monroe County Historical Museum. We knew little else 
but that they had an extensive exhibit of historical materials about General 
George Armstrong Custer, who had once resided in Monroe. I enjoyed the 
Custer exhibit as I had expected to, but I was delightfully surprised to 
discover an exhibit entitled "Aunt Bett's Attic." 

Elizabeth Upham McWebb, usually called Aunt Betty or Aunt Bett to 
her relatives and youthful fans and known for her "Little Brown Bear" 
stories, donated a life-long collection of children's games and toys to the 
Monroe Museum. There are awards there from individuals, organizations, 
and government officials, as well as a bust of Aunt Bett herself and two life-
sized papier maché figures-"Grandma," seated in a chair, and "Maude," her 
favorite elementary school teacher-that she made herself. But the bulk of the 
collection consists of dolls, dollhouses, stuffed animals, and a variety of 
other toys, some of which were given to her as gifts or were used by her as 
storytelling props. Most of these items are early mid-twentieth century and 
are in excellent condition. There is also a typewriter table and set of paints 
that Aunt Bett used to decorate souvenir cups that she presented to friends 
and admirers, and her signature hat and locket are displayed on the bust. 

As Simon Bronner has observed on various occasions, the study of 
children's material culture has a long way to go. If you are in the Detroit area 
and can spend the time, you might want to visit the Monroe County 
Historical Museum and take a look at "Aunt Bett's Attic." 

Monroe County Historical Museum 
126 South Monroe Street 
Monroe, Michigan 4861-2275 
Telephone: 734-240-7780 

C.W. Sullivan III 
East Carolina University 

If you know of other, perhaps out-of-the-way museums that have collections 
of children's material culture, please do a short write-up like the one above 
and send it to the Children’s Folklore Review. 
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