Joan McKenzie - The Jenny Dollhouse

The Evolution of a Beloved Dollhouse

by Pam North

In late 1975 through early 1976, Joan and Bill McKenzie made a dollhouse for their daughter Jenny’s 5th birthday. Gathering materials to make this 1:12 scale house was a challenge in the days before the Internet made access to miniatures an easy task. The dollhouse truly was a labor of love. Both parents had full-time jobs (Bill worked days, and Joan worked nights), and both would devote most of their spare time to the realization of their project, which was a 10-room, hip-roof, colonial-style structure. The windows, each 12 panes over 12 panes, movable to go up and down, were made from kits that took at least 8 hours each to put together. The 6-panel doors were colonial-style, with brass doorknobs that Bill made after studying those in actual homes. The mahogany floors were scored and grooved to look like real wooden planks. Nearly 2000 shingles were glued to the roof, one by one. The house was open on two sides, so that two children could play at the same time, seeing each other through the open doors that connected the rooms. Their daughter and most of her friends were careful with the house, and seemingly the warnings to Jenny’s parents that the elaborate windows were too fragile for childplay had been unnecessary. Eventually, however, calamity struck. A boisterous young cousin visited and was so fascinated with the windows that he managed to break every one. Although Bill patiently repaired the windows back to functionality, the same child continued to demolish the windows again on each successive visit. As family members’ feelings were considered more important than inanimate objects, his assaults on the dollhouse brought no scoldings, and eventually the damaged dollhouse was quietly transferred to their basement, with the hope that possibly one day in the future they might have a granddaughter to share the history and reignite the enthusiasm that the house once had inspired. 
Fast-forward to 2002 when their granddaughter, Brooke, was approaching 5 years old. She also was  careful with her toys, so the prospect of her enjoying the dollhouse was embraced. They took it to an elderly gentleman to re-wallpaper and electrify. He offered to buy the house from them, but that was not in their plans. Brooke enjoyed her childhood years with the house, and then it once again found a place in the basement. 
Last summer Joan and Bill, in the basement looking for something else, rediscovered Jenny’s dollhouse. Joan realized that if ever there was a fire in their home, she would want to save that beloved possession. How could such a cherished item have been relegated to the basement? The decision immediately was made to have the house restored, and they brought it to Joan’s favorite dollhouse store in New Hampshire, called Earth and Tree Miniatures, to whom the the job was given of  re-wallpapering and adding wainscoting and a multitude of lights. “They did a glorious job, offering great suggestions and finishing in time as promised. The results are nothing short of magical,” Joan remarked, adding, “Throughout the years of my adult life I marveled at true miniaturists. I continued to acquire one item at a time, little by little, even though the dollhouse was in the basement. I knew for a long time that I had wonderful items from all over the world just waiting for the right dollhouse. Once it came home, I had the fun of putting the furniture and items inside, and the pictures on the walls, and with that effort so many lovely memories of the past came rushing back to me. Things I had forgotten for so long suddenly seemed like they happened just yesterday. Now this heirloom finally belongs to me, hopefully to never go into the basement again, and it should never be sold. My intent is that this will be passed down for generations to come. I may never be a wealthy woman, but there is something about losing myself inside this little house that has enriched my life to the point where I feel like a millionaire. There are lifelong friendships that have been formed as various miniature artists came into my life, combining their skill and our imagination to compliment every inch of the project.”

Joan has been fascinated by miniatures since her earliest years. The interest intensified as she grew older and found so many miniaturists whose work she admired. “While I had a strong interest in miniatures from the time I was a small child, I didn’t start acquiring these until I was a young adult. Growing up poor didn’t allow for many toys. I surely have made up for those days. Some might even say I have overindulged myself in miniatures, and I expect they are correct! My immediate family understands and supports my interest in miniatures, but they have been known to roll their eyes over it as well.” Joan does not make miniatures herself; she collects other artists’ work that will fit best in her dollhouse. “The entire project has been a joy from start to finish,” Joan said. “The house was built from scratch, and the furniture and items inside were collected over a period of 45 years. The Jenny Dollhouse has been in a constant state of change. The rooms retain their basic functions, but the items inside get moved about and replaced for the fun of photography.”
Joan currently is working with Deb Jackson from England to make a room box of a bakery that will represent a cherished childhood memory. 

Contact information:
Email: joan.mckenzie@hpe.com
Phone: (978) 422-8721, (978) 400-6152 mobile
Address: 14 Country Club Road, Sterling, Massachusetts 01564  United States of America