Iowa Almanac
Iowa Almanac -- Tuesday, November 05, 2024
changing its name. More from the Iowa Almanac in a moment. The year was 1972. Yes, cost 36 cents a gallon. A postage stamp was 8 cents. Bob Ray was Iowa's governor, and Camp Courageous was founded. For a half-century Camp Courageous near Monticello, Iowa has served individuals with special needs. And it does it without government support. Learn more by going to Camp Courageous.org. This message paid for by the Friends of Camp Courageous. There are a number of items on an Election Day ballot. There are obviously votes for candidates for public office, and often voters are asked to render judgment on a taxation or bond issue. Rarely, though, are they asked to change the name of their city. But that was the case in the Green County town of New Rippy on November 5, 1957. There had been a village by the name of Rippy. Then a new settlement was organized nearby and took the name New Rippy. But by 1957, the original Rippy was just a memory, having ceased to be long before. Besides, people who did refer to it called it Old Rippy, even though that was not its official name. New Rippy was actually called Rippy by most people since it was the only one left. The only time it was ever called New Rippy was in legal descriptions or judicial use. The only way to change the city's name was through the will of the voters. Why bother? Because there was some fear that if someone called it Rippy in one place and New Rippy in another, there would be confusion in legal documents. So on November 5, 1957, the citizens of New Rippy went to the polls to vote on a variety of municipal issues, including whether to officially call themselves Rippy. The measure passed and the name was changed. Many of us know Rippy as the place where a mid-winter bicycle ride is held, the bike ride to Rippy, better known by its acronym, Burr. Imagine if the town was still called New Rippy, the acronym would not be nearly as clever. Thanks to the will of a majority of voters, New Rippy became Rippy on this date in 1957. And that's Iowa Almanac for November 5. There's more online at IowaAlmanac.com. Until tomorrow, I'm Jeff Stein.