American Girl Dolls

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In 1986, Pleasant T. Rowland, a former educator and publisher of educational materials, founded Pleasant Company which is headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin. Pleasant Company produced and marketed three 18-inch dolls - Samantha, Kirsten and Molly - each from a different period in American History. Each girl also had historically accurate outfits and accessory sets which were tied into books depicting their individual backgrounds. The first three stories of each character's eventual 6 book series were originally written by Danielle Steele. The American Girl Collection was originally available only through mail-order catalogs. Several more historical dolls were added (Felicity, Addy, Josefina) and by 1997 their combined stories spanned periods in U.S. history from 1764 to 1944. In 1992, American Girl expanded to help affirm self-esteem, celebrate achievements, and foster creativity in today's girls with the launch of American Girl® magazine, It currently ranks among the top ten children's magazines in the nation and is the largest magazine dedicated exclusively to girls. In 1995, a line of contemporary 18-inch Just Like You® dolls were introduced, that represent the individuality and diversity of today's American girls. American Girl also introduced Bitty Baby® and the Bitty Twins®-soft, (for younger girls ages 3-6). Both Bitty's are huggable baby and toddler dolls that encourage nurturing behavior. In the Fall of 1997, AmericanGirl.com was launched. In 1998, Mattel, Inc.-the world's leading toy company - acquired American Girl. That same year, American Girl established its first retail store in Chicago, and has continued to open locations in major markets across the country. In 2003, the first Made-for-TV movies and a new feature film are the latest ways we're connecting with girls, bringing their favorite stories to life on screen. January 5th 2009 - Chrissa Stands Strong - The first ever Girl of the Year movie premieres on HBO Today - American Girl continues to add new historical characters frmo different eras in American History, and occassionally retiring some of their older dolls.