Raggedy Ann

A soft and cuddly rag doll with tousled red-yarn hair—once relegated to an attic-was the inspiration for the Raggedy Ann we know today. According to one treasured family legend, Johnny Gruelle and his daughter were visiting his parents’ home when they found the doll, created for his sister 20 years earlier.  Gruelle gave the doll two bright buttons for eyes and drew a smile on her face. In 1915, Gruelle, a well known artist and writer, submitted several toys including Raggedy Ann to the U.S. Patent Office.  His book Raggedy Ann Stories was published in 1918.