Frances Glessner Lee

Known as "The Mother of Forensic Science"

Of the original 19 nutshell dioramas still in existence (it's believed 20 were made) 11 of the victims are women

Began to construct the dioramas in the 1940s

The scale of the nutshells is 1:12

All items in the nutshells work; pencils write, window shades move, doors open/shut, whistles blow, etc

She hired Ralph Mosher, a carpenter, to work full time on the project & had an elaborate workshop set up in her home; she constructed most of the scenes herself taking approximately 4 months to build one

The most gruesome nutshell is "Three-Room Dwelling" where a husband, wife, & baby are all shot to death

Wanted to go to Harvard Medical School but was denied entry due to her gender; father also forbade her to attend college, insisting she marry instead or he would disinherit her (her family was wealthy, her father was the founder of International Harvester)

Established the 1st department of legal medicine (now forensics) in the country

Those with clearance, not the general public, can view the nutshells at the Maryland Medical Examiner's Office by appointment only