Description

In the sun-drenched streets of Key West sits a doll that’s anything but child’s play. Join Bubah (flying solo this time) as we uncover the documented history behind Robert the Doll—from a 1904 Steiff prototype gifted to a lonely artistic boy, to decades of giggling in the attic, moving furniture, and “Robert did it,” to his current plexiglass prison at Fort East Martello Museum where visitors must ask permission to snap a photo… or risk his wrath.We separate verified facts (census records, Steiff archives, family lawsuits) from folklore (the Obeah curse, voodoo nanny revenge) while honoring the eerie legacy that’s inspired movies, TV, and over 3,000 apology letters.Content Warning: Discussions of folklore, psychological phenomena, and unsettling haunted-object legends. Listener discretion advised.Listen if you dare… and remember: always ask Robert first. 👁️🪡 #RobertTheDoll #HauntedObjects #KeyWestHistory

Verified History & Sources

• U.S. Census (1900–1920): Otto family in Key West → FamilySearch.org (search: Robert Eugene Otto)
• Steiff prototype confirmation → Atlas Obscura
• Find a Grave: Robert Eugene “Gene” Otto → findagrave.com/memorial/24778775
• WikiTree genealogy → wikitree.com/wiki/Otto-3973
• Artist House records → artisthousekeywest.com/robert-the-doll
• Keys Life Magazine (2022) → keyslifemagazine.com/spooky-history-robert-the-doll
• Ghost City Tours fact vs. fiction → ghostcitytours.com/key-west/ghost-stories/robert-the-doll

Books & Deeper Dives

• Robert the Doll: The True Biography by David L. Sloan (2007) – Amazon or Key West shops
• Pareidolia studies: Dehaene et al., Science (2003) → DOI: 10.1126/science.1083958
• Obeah context: Obeah, Witchcraft in the West Indies (1976)

Visit RobertFort East Martello Museum – 3501 S Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL→ kwahs.org/museums/fort-east-martelloRule: Ask permission before photos. 3,000+ apology letters on file.

Email: EchosOfThaPast@gmail.comX (Twitter): @EchosPoddCast

#E.O.P. #ParanormalPodcast #TrueHistory#HauntedDolls

Episode SummaryReferences

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