Trifter

The struggling economy has been taking its toll on everyone from mom and pop businesses to major conglomerates. Yet this is a more of a sentimental reason because this was a place started by the granddaughter of the man responsible for the culturally iconic toys that has been famous over the generations–the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Most people owned these classic dolls as children and they later passed them down to their own children and grandchildren. The dolls came in various sizes from pee-wee to human sized, but were loved by millions of people all over the world. Johnny Gruelle who is the man behind the creation of these famous American icons had a granddaughter named Joni Wannamaker who didn’t like playing with dolls as a child. Yet this woman has inherited her grandfather’s creation that has been in the lives of countless Americans who remember their childhoods having these dolls in their possession. The Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls became a icon for Gruelle who was a staunch opponent of vaccinations after his daughter Marcelle had died after receiving a vaccination at the age of 13 for smallpox which was widespread among children back in the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s all the way up to the mid-late 60’s.

Gruelle’s family decided to close the museum since the economy has been responsible for downsizing and closing a lot of businesses since many can’t survive when people are not shopping and buying. The Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum has suffered with fading interest in the iconic dolls Wannamaker’s grandfather had made famous and also lack of tourism which is what Arcola relies heavily upon for years. Also another iconic Arcola regular is ending after 20 years and that’s the annual Raggedy Ann and Andy festival, but a New York-based museum will be taking some of the rare items to display in their facility to keep the collection visible. It’s not easy for many small towns to give up what has drawn visitors in over the years. Yet this is also addressing how this economy has driven up maintenance costs for tourist attractions and how many are forced to close if people are not visiting and showing lack of interest in the attraction. This is not just one place that’s been hit hard, but only because it was home to Johnny Gruelle and his brain child of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls.

There’s hope that moving some of the Raggedy Ann and Andy doll collection will help one day resurge an interest in the famed American icons. The fact that this legendary museum situated in the small Illinois town just off Interstate 57 in Douglas County about two hours from Chicago and St. Louis and nestled between two major college communities of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana campus. Arcola’s history is extensive with having been dubbed as ‘The birthplace of Raggedy Ann creator Johnny Gruelle’, but it became more as people saw how this small town produced one of the most well-loved toys in the world. Being from Illinois makes one feel proud to have come from a state where the most famous doll was conceived. As we all hope for better days ahead in terms of the economy we hope that one cultural icon won’t fade into the sunset as a new generation of children come into the world and will grow up appreciating the one thing that a grieving father had created as a lasting tribute to his beloved daughter who lost her life after being treated for a common childhood illness that was eradicated nearly 50 years later in the 1970’s long after Gruelle’s death in 1938.

The museum’s closing could further effect Arcola’s staying power of attracting millions of visitors each year for the Raggedy Ann and Andy festival and other attractions within the small town. The museum opened in 1999 and 10 years later this central figure in Arcola is closing its doors after such a short period of time as a museum. The museum will remain open until its scheduled closing and their web site www.raggedyann-museum.orgis currently still active, but keep checking back or contacting staff as to when the absolute last time they will be open to the general public since some times will be by appointment only. The closing is expected to happen around December 31st. Arcola has value to its culturally-rich heritage and all that it brings and saying good bye to a classic icon who put the town on the map is hard for not only Gruelle’s family, but all who call Arcola home.