"Raggedy Rippers Rouse Rath" - Christmas in Mifflinburg

 

From 1979- 1986, Mifflinburgs Christmas Theme was Raggedy Ann and Andy.  Local residents painted three and a half foot tall decorations and placed them on the parking meters along Chestnut Street.

The decorations were stolen and damaged so frequently that extra police patrols were added once they were installed.    The second year they were placed, 30 of the 36 decorations were stolen.  Almost all of the thieves were from out of town - several of those cited for the thefts were from out of state.  

Still, the town Christmas committee continued to make the decorations, offering them for sale in addition to decorating the town with them, in the hopes of curbing the frequent thefts.  The Raggedy Ann & Andy's continued to decorate downtown Mifflinburg at least through 1985.

I don't normally pay much attention to the news after the 1950s.  But when this article was shared in the Mifflinburg Scenes From The Past facebook group, I loved the title so much I had to look into it.

The 3.5 foot tall Raggedy Ann And Andys were first made for Christmas in 1979.  The theme was chosen by the town because 1979 was the "Year Of The Child".  Laura Ruckle was credited with the design for the meter decorations.

Handmade by local residents, they were constructed out of paper donated by International Paper, then painted and stuffed by members of the Mifflinburg Christmas Committee.  Sue Iddings said that the big dolls took about 3 and a half hours to make, and the little ones took about 2 and a half hours each.

On Saturday November 29th 1980, 36 raggedy ann and andy dolls were put up on the parking meters in Mifflinburg. By Sunday December 7th, 30 of the 36 decorations had been stolen.  

 

November 1981 Press Release 

In November of 1981, members of the Mifflinburg Christmas Committee placed 64 dolls along Chestnut Street and at the two shopping centers.  Two weeks later, 13 of the decorations were missing.   

One doll was returned with a note about her travels...

By January of 1982, more than 40 people had been cited for theft of the dolls with criminal mischief, which carried a maximum fine of $300 and up to 90 days in jail if the fines were not paid.  Those cited  included persons from Sunbury, Beaver Springs, Levitttown, Taylorville Ill, Dauphin, State College, Lewisburg and Kulpmont.  

In 1983, the public was invited to obtain a doll legally, by contacting the Christmas Committee.

Still, the very first night the dolls were placed on the meters, a Milton woman was arrested for tampering with one.  Later, a man from Plains NJ was also cited for damaging 5 dolls along the 200 block.

1984

In 1984, extra police patrols were added to protect the decorations.  Would be thieves were warned of the fine if caught, and an option was again given for those who would like to purchase one of the decorations.

The decorations were again used in 1985.  In addition, in 1986,  Raggedy Ann and Andy Dolls were ordered for display in store windows, "to coincide with the community's holiday motif"

1985 was the last definitive mention I found of the parking meter decorations.  

In 2013 one of the decorations hung in the window of a barn on County Line Road - these directions were given for viewing it [I do not know if it is still there!] -  Take RT 304 east out of New Berlin, turn R on County Line Road, go pass Stein LN, pass Yoders Country Store on the left, pass Penns Drive on the right, start through the s curve, and look on the left for the red barn.