In Singapore, there’s a park known as the Haw Par Villa, an expansive theme park filled with over 1,000 statues, and hundreds of detailed three-dimensional dioramas. Of course, lots of parks have statues and memorials of people from history. But these dioramas set Haw Par Villa apart; and make it a much wilder, much stranger place.  At the epicenter of the park is the Ten Courts of Hell. It’s a self-guided tour through the experiences one would expect from hell. Or at least, the Hell imagined by the multicultural mythology that makes Singapore so unique.  While the purpose of the park was to show children the consequences of their bad behavior, the implementation created something rather dark and foreboding.  And now, the park has gained a reputation as haunted.

So, perhaps it’s not a surprise that some of these spooky statues and dioramas are thought to be haunted.  But what about haunted dolls?  How does something created for a sweet and innocent purpose, something that provides comfort and safety to so many, come to get such an evil reputation? In a world with so many dolls, how does one single doll become infamous?

Learn more about the history of three famous haunted dolls; Peggy (who inspired the story of Annebelle), Robert & the girl-doll of the Yesterdays’ Museum.

For images and full show notes visit:  http://mydarkpath.com/season1episode9-1


References

Peggy & Annabelle:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20160522230945/http://www.warrens.net/annabelle.html
• https://www.nhregister.com/lifestyle/article/Real-Annabelle-story-shared-by-Lorraine-11382545.php
• https://www.glamour.com/story/real-story-behind-annabelle

Robert:

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/robert-doll
• https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/key-west/robert-the-doll

Pediophobia & the Yesterdays’ Museum:

• Antoinette May, Haunted H

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