Backstage Pass to North Dakota History

This blog takes you behind the scenes of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Get a glimpse at a day-in-the-life of the staff, volunteers, and partners who make it all possible. Discover what it takes to preserve North Dakota's natural and cultural history.

Welcome back to the little guy zone, which I wrote about in a previous blog post. 

To recap, I do not have a true definition for a little guy, but I do get a feeling whenever I come across one. Smallness is often a factor but not required. And in line with the Midwestern use of “guy,” being a little guy knows no gender. It’s just a little guy. 

This time the little guys arrive with a Halloween twist. For your viewing pleasure, here are some of my favorite delightfully unsettling little guys being preserved in the State Historical Society museum collections.

1. Several heads!

Along with the little lady on a donkey from my last little guys blog post, the French Gratitude Train also contained some weirder little guys among its gifts: these carved disembodied heads resembling world leaders of the era. I especially like them because they also remind me of the singing busts from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride.

These “carved effigy heads” arrived in North Dakota on the French Gratitude Train in 1949. The train was an expression of gratitude for the food and clothing Americans sent France after World War II. SHSND 1990.25.116a-e 

“Haunted Mansion Singing Busts for Projection - Enhanced and Deflickered,” Montclair’s Lair. Their resemblance to the French Gratitude heads is uncanny.

2. Obligatory doll entry 

What would this list be without a creepy doll? An incomplete one, that’s what. We have a few creepy dolls in the collection, but this little lady was the worthy winner of a place on this list. And now she can live in my nightmares and yours! The doll belonged to Jennie M. (Kelley) Chenery of Jamestown, Dakota Territory, who received this doll as a gift in 1874 and played with it as a child. Like many dolls, when laying down, her eyes are closed, but when she sits up ... well, you can see. She’s got one good eye, and the other one is looking into your soul, probably. 

This doll is just too creepy. SHSND 13407

3. A familiar face 

This depiction of the McDonald’s mascot Grimace graces a cookie wrapper from 1985. What does he want? The cookies? They are long gone. Stop looking at me, Grimace. 

Grimace will haunt your dreams. SHSND 1985.82.36 

4. Creepy cutie 

Everyone meet Patsy! She is a taxidermied deformed calf, born as an incomplete twin with a second head on her chest sporting rather alarming teeth. Patsy was born in April 1976 on the Selmer and Mary Ann Kjorstad farm near Williston. According to the family, she could run and do everything the other calves did. Unfortunately, Patsy caught pneumonia and died in June of the same year. Patsy is certainly in the creepy-but-cute category. 

Patsy, the two-headed calf. SHSND 2010.52.1 

5. A weird little creature’s holiday greetings

Bismarck artist Clell Gannon, whose humorous block print of a slouching man surrounded by sketches of cats made an appearance in my last blog post, is back again with another little guy! Instead of spectral cats we have an … elf? Thing? Whatever they are, they are bringing some positive energy into the holiday season, despite my confusion and unsettlement with their hairy legs. 

An early holiday greeting from …. whatever this is. SHSND 2013.111.78 

This has been your Halloween edition of little guys! Do you have some little guys, creepy or not, that you’d like to donate to the State Historical Society? Let us know by filling out our donation questionnaire. Have a wonderful Halloween with all the creepy little guys in your life!