Alva Review-Courier -

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — It was the Christmas of 1934 and Maxine Wyatt was wishing for a Shirley Temple doll.

She was 11 years old and faced a disappointment that year. Her parents didn't buy the doll.

But times have changed. Today the 94-year-old has more than 40 Shirley Temple dolls, along with about 860 other dolls from around the world. She has pooled her collection with her daughter Rosalie Waters who has about 800 of her own dolls and they have created Maxine's Doll Museum and Gift Shop.

Located in the former Kress five-and-dime, mother and daughter opened for visitors earlier this month.

As Wyatt and Waters gave a tour of the museum, the long rows of white display cases are filled with dolls that tell a story of popular culture through the ages. Dolls from television series ranging from George Burns and Gracie Allen, the Honeymooners to the Beverly Hillbillies, Laverne, and Shirley, to Saturday Night Live are on display. Then there are the musician dolls from Elvis and the Beatles to Kiss. There is Dennis Rodman in his basketball uniform and Dennis Rodman in a wedding dress.

Then there are the Barbies — from the original 1958 model to the 2016 curvy Barbie with chunky hips and ample buttocks. There are so many Barbies intermingled among George Washington dolls and even Barack Obama and John McCain dolls that Waters is planning a contest for museum-goers who can count the number of Barbies.

"We have found these dolls in the strangest places," Waters told The Hutchinson News . "We would be traveling and stop in a dinky little town."

Rummaging through an old shop or flea market in a pile of junk she would find a treasure in a unique doll.

"I just love them," said Wyatt of the displays of dolls. Though she was denied a Shirley Temple as a child, her sister gave her a doll as a playmate. When she was five she began making clothes for the doll by hand. Later her mother let her use the treadle sewing machine.

It wasn't until the Christmas of 1957 when Wyatt was 34, that her wish came true.

Waters spotted a Shirley Temple while shopping in the Montgomery Wards which was also on Hutchinson's Main Street at the time. Knowing her mother's disappointment as a child, she wanted to surprise her. She had to ask her boyfriend to help her pay for the doll.

That was 60 years ago and Wyatt has been collecting dolls ever since. Waters, by the way, ended up marrying the generous boyfriend David Waters.

An accomplished seamstress, Wyatt has made clothes for many of the dolls in the collection, including costumes based on movies Shirley Temples starred in.

Back in 1980 Wyatt briefly opened a small doll museum downtown.

"It was the hottest summer in 30 years," said Waters. "The museum lasted about six months. People were not getting out and my dad was ill at the time."

But Wyatt never gave up the dream of displaying her collection.

A year ago Wyatt's granddaughter Sarah White announced to the rest of the family — it was time to get grandma the museum she always wanted.

They made an arrangement with Bob Ging, the building's owner to rent the space.

Along with the museum, there is a gift shop filled with handcrafted jewelry by Sarah White and Shelly Waters. Handcrafted hats and slippers created by Maxine Wyatt and prints by Rosalie Waters. In a backroom, Wyatt's grandson Michael Waters, a musician, has set up a recording studio.

"All of our family is talented," said Rosalie Waters.

Rosalie Waters got the key for the building in November and has been scrambling to set up the museum. Final touches include labels for all the dolls. Their entire collection is not on display, exhibits will change throughout the year. Currently character dolls from "It's A Wonderful Life," are on display.

"There is a lot of variety here. It's not like you are just going to look at dollies. There is a lot of history here," Rosalie Waters said pointing to a case of dolls used in advertising.

Ging agreed.

"I think this is spectacular," he said. "It's something Hutchinson has never seen."

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Information from: The Hutchinson (Kan.) News, http://www.hutchnews.com