The Story of Anna's Playhouse -- Gaffney, SC 1924 ONCE UPON A TIME, long, long ago - before there were TVs and computers and EVEN Barbie Dolls, a little girl named Anna asked her grandfather to build her a playhouse. Her grandfather thought for a long, long time and finally said he would build it if she would promise him something. She had to promise to have lots of tea parties, play dress up, and pretend with all of her friends. Of course Anna quickly promised and her grandfather started building her a wonderful playhouse. It took a very long time but when it was finished, it looked just like a real house - only it was just HER size! It had a living room, a real working kitchen and bath, a dining room, a bedroom, and even a sunroom. It had furniture and tea sets and was full of magic and wonder. On Anna's 5th birthday she was able to have her birthday party in the new playhouse. Three of her best friends came and brought their dolls - and, yes - they played dress-up and had a fabulous tea party. They had sooo much fun, just like Anna had promised her grandfather. Anna was so happy and thanked her grandfather over and over again! She and her friends spent many years playing in her playhouse. Sometimes she and her little brother, Nat, would play for hours and hours in the playhouse. BUT,as you know, little girls grow up and that's exactly what happened. Anna grew up and no longer played in the playhouse... no one played in the playhouse anymore. So the little house sat all alone, missing all the giggles and fun it used to have. It was alone for a long, long time. Then one day a lady named Mrs. Poole asked Anna if she could buy the playhouse. Anna didn't have any little children so she decided to sell it to Mrs. Poole. Mrs. Poole had the playhouse in her backyard for 40 years. Her children were all boys. They, too, grew up and no longer played in the playhouse. It sat in Gaffney, alone and empty, for many, many years and began to fall apart.  During the time that Mrs. Poole had the playhouse, Anna's little brother, Nat, grew up too and had children of his own. His daughter Lizabeth, heard the stories and saw the pictures of the playhouse when she was a little girl. She always dreamed of one day getting the playhouse back and making it magical again. Finally in 2002 Mrs. Poole agreed to sell Lizabeth the playhouse. Lizabeth was so, so excited... and guess what she had to promise? Lizabeth had to promise that she would always have lots of tea parties, that she would SHARE the playhouse so that it would never, ever, be lonely again, and would always hear the giggles of many little girls. Lizabeth agreed to do all these things and was 'tickled pink' that the playhouse was once again in her family. Lizabeth had the playhouse cut into two sections, put on a huge truck, and brought it to Mills River, NC. She found the perfect spot and placed it under some giant oak trees. For six years Lizabeth worked very, very hard on the playhouse until the playhouse sparkled and looked just like it had when Anna was a little girl. She put fancy dress-up clothes in the closet and tea sets at the table. She found perfect little girl sized furniture and NOW all of the magic is back into the playhouse. Today Lizabeth is hoping to find little girls to share the magic of the playhouse so she can keep her promise to Mrs. Poole. Would you like to help her keep her promise? Come have a tea party, play dress up, and giggle with us at ANNA'S PLAYHOUSE!!!