Robert the Doll

Robert the Doll was a gift to Robert Eugene Otto — known as Gene — in 1904, reportedly from a Bahamian servant who practiced folk magic. The doll, stuffed with straw and dressed in a sailor suit, was named after its owner. Gene Otto, who later became an artist, insisted the doll was alive and could be heard talking at night.

Neighbors reported seeing the doll move from window to window when the family was away. Gene's parents heard their son apparently having a conversation — and a second voice responding. When Gene blamed childhood misdeeds on the doll, his family and friends believed him rather than dismissing it.

After Gene's death in 1974, the doll passed through several owners and eventually to the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, where it remains on display today. The museum receives letters — sometimes hundreds per year — from visitors who believe they were cursed after photographing the doll without asking its permission. The museum displays these letters around the exhibit.