Raggedy Ann and Andy: The History of a Beloved Library Treasure

June 2026

June 12 is celebrated as Raggedy Ann and Andy Day, a tribute to the beloved rag dolls that became two of the most enduring figures in American childhood and popular culture. Created by illustrator and author Johnny Gruelle, Raggedy Ann and Andy grew out of his love of storytelling and children’s literature. The son of a painter, Gruelle began his career as a newspaper cartoonist and illustrator. In 1910, he earned early recognition after winning first prize in a comic drawing contest sponsored by the New York World, and later went on to create stories and illustrations for children.

Gruelle and his wife, Myrtle, visited Miami regularly during the 1920s and eventually settled in the area. In 1953, Myrtle Gruelle donated the original Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls to the Coral Gables Library — along with books from the family collection — where the dolls have since become treasured pieces of local history.

According to the family story shared with the Library at the time the dolls were donated, the origins of Raggedy Ann began with a handmade rag doll sewn by Alice Benton Gruelle, wife of Richard Barton Gruelle, for their daughter Prudence. After Prudence outgrew the doll, it was stored in the attic of the family’s home in Indianapolis for several years. The story goes that Johnny Gruelle, Prudence’s younger brother, later rediscovered the doll and transformed it by adding its now-familiar red yarn hair, triangle nose, and embroidered features. He then used it as inspiration for stories he told his daughter, Marcella.

Johnny Gruelle trademarked Raggedy Ann in 1915, and the character first appeared in the 1918 book Raggedy Ann Stories. Raggedy Andy followed in 1920, quickly becoming Ann’s inseparable companion. As the dolls grew in popularity, Gruelle expanded their world through a successful series of children’s books featuring Ann, Andy, and an ensemble of imaginative characters. Their popularity eventually extended beyond books to dolls, cartoons, and other media, cementing their place in American cultural history.

By the late 1980s, the dolls required professional conservation due to their fragile condition. In 1988, the late Metro-Dade (now Miami-Dade) Commissioner Ruth Shack, the Dade Community Foundation (now The Miami Foundation), Robin Reiter-Faragalli of Southeast Banking Corporation, the Friends of the Miami-Dade Public Library, and other community supporters spearheaded a fundraising campaign to preserve the historic dolls.

The dolls were sent to Judith Eisenberg, a professional textile conservator in New York City, who spent seven months stabilizing and conserving them. Because of their age and delicate condition, the original fabric could not simply be stitched. Instead, Eisenberg created a supportive underlayer beneath the original material to preserve the dolls’ structural stability while maintaining their historical integrity.

To celebrate their return, the Coral Gables Branch Library hosted a special event titled Raggedys' Return. Organized by Barbara Young, the Library’s then Art Services Coordinator, the celebration included an exhibition of drawings by Johnny Gruelle and his son, Worth Gruelle, and welcomed children dressed as iconic storybook characters. The exhibition ran from November 18, 1989, through January 2, 1990.

In 2021, the Coral Gables Branch began an extensive renovation that continued through 2023, and the dolls were placed in the temporary custody of the Coral Gables Museum for safekeeping. Now, more than three decades after their celebrated restoration, Raggedy Ann and Andy are returning to their longtime home in the Children’s Room at the Coral Gables Branch Library.

Celebrating Raggedy Ann and Andy Day!, a special event taking place at the Coral Gables Branch Library on June 12 and 13, marks the return of these cherished literary treasures to the community. In support of the dolls’ homecoming, Special Collections has also organized a small display on the second floor of the Main Library featuring informational materials and related ephemera about Raggedy Ann and Andy.

To explore more materials about the Library’s favorite doll duo in our Digital Collections, click here.