Around South County: Heirloom doll collection donated to Salem Avery House Museum

Vilma Stockton was either a full- or part-time resident of Shady Side for most of her life. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1929, she was a permanent resident in her home on the West River for over 25 years, until she died in early August of this year.

Word recently came from her son, Charles, that the Stockton family is donating over 100 of Vilma's handcrafted porcelain dolls to the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, which operates the Capt. Salem Avery House Museum, where Vilma was a member.

The museum will keep a number of the dolls, but plans to auction off individual dolls as a fundraiser.

The dolls will be on...