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Spotted …in Indiana: Either you see these iconic characters, or you don’t!

May 19, 2022

1 Min Read
Barbie and Ken dolls standing in pond of water on grass
HERE WE ARE! Barbie and Ken dolls wave to passersby, but apparently many people don’t see them readily. They could be saying, ‘Help!’ as water builds up around them.Photos by Tom Dull

The last thing you expect to see driving north out of Lebanon, Ind., on State Road 39 in the middle of the heartland are the iconic dolls Barbie and Ken. Yet, Tom Dull, Thorntown, says they’ve stood there for at least a couple of years, and likely longer.

Dull and his family operate Dull’s Tree Farm, featuring cut-your-own Christmas trees and much more. Without knowing it, they were early pioneers in agritoruism, and continue to be leaders in that enterprise.

“Since I noticed them a couple years ago, they’ve never gone missing,” Dull says. “They were likely there for months, maybe even years, before I noticed them. Since seeing them, I have pointed them out to several locals who have never noticed them before either.”

If you want to look for yourself, find them at the northeast corner of Indiana State Road 39 and Boone County Road 300N, just north of Lebanon, Dull says.

While Dull hasn’t talked to the landowner, he suspects they’re positioned apart to mark the ends of a drain leading into the roadside ditch. Or maybe Barbie just got lost and is yelling to Ken for help as the water gets deeper!

Ken and Barbie dolls in drainage ditch

There is something unusual on many roads in Indiana, from dolls to old farm equipment to mailboxes made from electric poles to quirky signs. Spot one, take a horizontal picture and send it to [email protected]. If it appears in this column, you will receive a gift card.

Happy spotting!

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