Welcome To Baby Land General Hospital:Home Of The Cabbage Patch Doll

Back in the "old days" when children asked where babies came from a likely answer was "from the cabbage patch". At Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland Georgia this adage is considered truth.

Cleveland is a small town 77.6 miles northeast of Atlanta nestled at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. It is the birthplace of Xavier Roberts, born there in 1955. He is the creator of the famed Cabbage Patch Kids.

Xavier grew up to be an artist, inventor, manufacturer and businessman. His art work was influenced by the folk art movement of the 1970s, old world techniques for doll making and his own mother's art of quilting.

Xavier began by creating soft-sculptor dolls from cloth. These early dolls evolved into dolls that he called Little People. Then along with a few friends he began traveling the folk art circuit, introducing and selling his creations at folk art festivals throughout the Southeastern USA. Upon success and recognition with awards in the folk art genre Xavier and friends returned to Cleveland to begin the manufacturing of his popular dolls. The soft sculpted dolls,with lumpy faces and pudgy arms and legs were all unique with no two exactly alike.

Xavier had never really called his creations "dolls" preferring babies or little people. This concept inspired him to make the babies "adoptable" complete with signed birth certificates. Xavier and friends purchased and renovated a vacant medical facility and named it Baby Land General Hospital.

Between 1982 and 1983 the little people were introduced to the world as Cabbage Patch Kids. Quickly becoming the hottest toy on the market there was often pandemonium in department stores during Christmas shopping season with people literally fighting to buy the dolls

The name change to Cabbage Patch Kids was based on a story co authored by partner Roger Schlaifer and his wife Susan. An abbreviated version of the story then appeared on all Cabbage Patch products from 1983 onward.

The story of the Cabbage Patch Kids begins with a 10 year boy named Xavier Roberts who often plays in the woods in the North Georgia mountains. One day Xavier happens upon a bunny bee, a bee-like creature that has ears like a rabbit and flies using it's ears as wings. He follows the bunny bee into a magical valley where bunny bees are buzzing all around sprinkling magic crystals to pollinate the cabbages in the patch. Once pollinated, the cabbages grow into Cabbage Patch Kids.All are in need of homes and need to be adopted. Xavier meets a little boy, Otis Lee who implores for help with the problem of the homeless babies. He promises to grow up and build a Baby Land someday where visitors can come to adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid.

As with most fads the Cabbage Patch Kid Craze abated over the next few years although the dolls and related toys remained popular. Several large name toy companies including Hasbro and Mattel bought and sold rights for mass producing the dolls. A selection of all vinyl dolls or part soft sculpture and vinyl became available at mass production prices.

Thanks to Xavier's promise you can still adopt a genuine hand stitched soft sculptured Cabbage Patch Kid by going directly to Baby Land or by going to the online adoption center. Today Baby Land General Hospital is located inside a sprawling southern style mansion on 650 acres outside of Cleveland. It is ranked as one of the top ten Toy Lands in the world by Travel Channel. Tours are free and there are always babies available for adoption.

Every day is special at Baby Land General, but Christmas time is best of all. The decorations are breathtaking and the babies are all excited to perhaps awaken to a new home on Christmas morning.

Mother Cabbage sits at the top of the cabbage patch while bunny bees buzz in the trees above her. They sprinkle magic crystals around the cabbage patch to pollinate cabbages that will grow into Cabbage Patch Kids. There are pink crystals for growing girls and blue to grow a boy. Licensed Patch doctors and nurses are on hand to help Mother Cabbage with her deliveries. While on tour you may even get to witness the birth of a Cabbage Patch Kid. If so, you will hear the nurse announce that Mother Cabbage is 10 cabbage leaves dilated. That is your cue to gather around the cabbage patch beneath the oak tree. The nurse will let you watch as she helps Mother Cabbage deliver the next adoptable baby. She will even let the tour group help name the newest Cabbage Patch Kid. Then its off to the nursery to get vital statistics and prepare for adoption. She will bring the new baby out to say hello.

If you are approved you can pay the adoption fee and take the Oath of Adoption in one of two adoption rooms across from the hospital administrators office. Then you are the proud parent of an original Cabbage Patch Kid.