History

Florida Has A Haunted Doll Worse Than Annabelle, Robert The Doll

Written by Ryan Prost

This is the horrifying true history of 117-year old haunted doll, Robert The Doll. The doll resides in the Fort East Martello Museum, Key West, Florida. In Key West locals who grew up during this time period may tell you that these stories are all true. Some of them say they remember as children, seeing the doll move from window to window while its owner painted in the Art House in Key West.

When we get into the true 117-year old history of this haunted doll it’s clear that Robert The Doll is obviously much more terrifying than Annabelle.

Here are just some of the things the museum staff have reported about Robert the Doll.

Staff members report that Robert’s facial expression changes, hearing demonic giggling and have even seen Robert put his hand up to the glass.

ghostsandgravestones.com/key-west/robert-the-doll

Robert The Doll in Fort East Martello Museum
Robert The Doll. Fort East Martello Museum Wikimedia Commons

Robert The Haunted Doll

In 1904 the doll was gifted to a young boy named Eugene Robert Otto, everyone called him “Gene”. Gene’s parents thought it would be a normal gift for the child, but they soon learned otherwise.

Things started moving around the home, and this started the horror of “Robert did it!”.

The relationship between Gene and Robert was odd to say the least. Things moved on their own and voices were heard throughout the home on 534 Eaton Street.

According to legend, young Otto began to blame mishaps on the doll. While this could have been laughed off as childish storytelling, adults also started noticing odd occurrences, especially as Otto and Robert grew older. As an adult, Otto lived in a stately home he called “The Artist House,” where Robert could be seen positioned at the upstairs window. Schoolchildren swore that he would appear and reappear, and they avoided the house. Myrtle Reuter purchased the Artist House after Otto’s death in 1974, and also became Robert’s new caretaker. Visitors swore they heard footsteps in the attic and giggling. Some claimed Robert’s expression changed when anyone badmouthed Otto in his presence. Rueter said Robert would move around the house on his own, and after twenty years of antics, she donated him to the museum.

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Origins Of Robert The Doll

The doll is thought to go back to early 1900s Germany, where it was made by the Steiff Company. The same company that made the original Teddy Bear – they may have used it as a window display.

Robert The Doll
Robert’s Toy Dog Wikimedia Commons

It is believed Eugene’s grandfather found the doll on a trip to Germany and purchased it for the boy. Others say a family maid gave the doll to Gene. It’s said that the maid hexed the doll out of spite at the family’s wrongdoings against her.

Eugene Robert Otto grew apart from the doll, as one expects any child to do as they age, and time moved over for awhile.

However, Eugene Robert Otto returned to his family home when his parents left it to him in their will. Gene moved in with his wife Anne, who unwittingly agreed to live in the same house as Robert. Anne found Robert creepy and convinced Gene to keep him in the tower room of the home where Gene painted.

Gene Otto died in 1974 and another family bought the Artist’s House.

Fort East Martello Museum, Robert’s Final Home

The Fort East Martello Museum should be in the top 10 most haunted places in America, given that this haunted doll is stationed there in a thin glass enclosure. Robert was gifted to the museum by Myrtle Reuter, but for a time it sat in storage. That didn’t stop the activity reported by those surrounding the doll however.

A plumber supposedly said that Robert The Doll had moved from his original spot at the museum. He even said it looked like the doll had thrown the small dog toy across the room.

Fort East Martello Museum
Fort East Martello Museum, Robert’s Final Home Wikimedia Commons

Attributions

By Cayobo from Key West, The Conch Republic – Robert The DollUploaded by LongLiveRock, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24411304

By Ebyabe – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14786823

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About the author

Ryan Prost

Ryan is a freelance writer and history buff. He loves classical and military history and has read more historical fiction and monographs than is probably healthy for anyone.

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