Xavier Roberts

Xavier Roberts (born October 31, 1955, Cleveland, Georgia), the manufacturer of Cabbage Patch Kids, is an American artist and businessman. During the American Folk art movement of the late 1970's, Roberts observed several techniques involving the making of dolls from various materials, including the dolls of Martha Nelson Thomas of Louisville, KY. Influenced by the quilts that his mother, Eula, made, he began experimenting with a quilted doll. After much experimentation, Roberts created a type of doll he called "Little People". Roberts and a small group of friends began to travel from state to state in the southeastern U.S. attending various folk art exhibitions. At these exhibitions, Roberts began selling these handcrafted dolls he called "babies". Going into business as Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc., Roberts started producing Little People in his hometown of Cleveland, at a converted medical clinic, which he rechristened "Babyland General Hospital". The Little People evolved by 1982 into Cabbage Patch Kids, which quickly became a major toy fad. In 1984 alone, 20 million dolls were bought, and by 1999, 95 million had been sold worldwide. Martha Nelson Thomas, the creator of the precursor to the Cabbage Patch Kids, filed suit again Roberts in January, 1980. Mrs. Thomas met Roberts in 1976 at a fair where she was selling her dolls. He liked what he saw and asked her to supply him some for sale at a Georgia state park where he then worked. But after some of her dolls had been sold there, she says, she decided to stop supplying them because she was concerned he might take the idea away from her. When Roberts began producing his own dolls, Mrs. Thomas noticed a resemblance in design. The dolls are very similar, she says. The marketing technique also resembled hers, says her attorney, Jack Wheat, of Louisville. 'She also is unhappy with the fact that the dolls are now being mass-produced. There are too many mass-produced things. You need something personal, something hand-made, with someone who will stand behind it, she says.

Xavier Roberts Originals








Roberts would later create a series of country inspired toy bears called The Furskin Bears.



Source: Internet

Babyland General Hospital

Babyland General Hospital is the birthplace of Cabbage Patch dolls located in Cleveland, Georgia. Xavier Roberts converted an old clinic into a facility from which to sell his dolls, originally called "Little People." The facility is presented as a birthing, nursery, and adoption center for premium Cabbage Patch Kids. Although the fad surrounding the dolls has largely died down, Babyland General is still heavily trafficked by diehard fans and curiosity seekers.

Birthing Ceremony

Dolls are "birthed" every hour during business hours in a procedure during which one of the "LPN's" (Licensed Patch Nurse) assists the Magic Crystal Tree in producing each doll. When the intercom announces that a Mother Cabbage is in labor, a nurse hurries to get ready for delivery of a new Cabbage Patch baby. With the nurse are the pink and blue bunnybees that pollinate the kids with crystals, determining if the newborn is a boy- blue crystal or girl- pink crystal. The nurse comments on how much the Tree is dilated and injects with "Imagicillin," an "experimental but highly recommended" drug.

If the need arises, a "C-section" or "Cabbage section" may be administered. After the doll is successfully birthed, the audience is asked to provide suggestions for the its first two names, the third of which is always that of the adopter. Most of the time the children's names are chosen by the youngest kid. These names are then recorded on its certificate and on a name tag, and the doll takes a place among the hundreds that inhabit the facility's nurseries and play environments. A full-featured Intensive Care Unit is in place to handle premature births and otherwise unhealthy newborns.

New locationThe Babyland General Hospital looked to move into a new $2.5 million "Babyland General" in either Helen or Cleveland, Georgia as revealed in the White County News Telegraph. Cleveland was decided on as the new site and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009.

Founder

Xavier Roberts, often pictured in a cowboy hat, came up with idea of custom-made dolls "born" in a cabbage patch. His hometown of Cleveland, Georgia was the place he chose to test his idea and even he did not foresee how successful the idea would be. Originally selling the premium-priced dolls to visitors, Xavier called them "Little People," gave birth to them in a cabbage patch, and gave each one had a unique name. Demand at the tiny Original Appalachian Artworks quickly outpaced supply. Since the name Little People was common he began calling the dolls Cabbage Patch Kids and entered into a merchandising agreement with Coleco to sell the dolls.


Xavier Roberts and friends at groundbreaking for new Babyland General

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Where to visit in the Atlanta Area

Roadside Georgia

Cleveland, GA

White County

Helen, GA

Source: Internet