Rudd’s Christmas Farm
BLUE CREEK, Ohio — Rudd’s Christmas Farm in Blue Creek, was a dazzling, powerful display orchestrated by Carl and Judy Rudd which illustrated the life of Christ from birth to crucifixion and ascension.
“We had paintings that depicted his life; different stories, such as when he was baptized by John and carried his cross,” said Judy Rudd.
Before there was the Christmas Farm, however, there was a love for children, and a desire to delight hearts.
“It started in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967. We loved kids. We never were much on Halloween, but at that time, Halloween was a good thing. Kids came around, and we always had big treats for them. We would always play with them. When we started doing our decorations, the kids were thrilled and people would drive by. That’s how it started. Christmas was always wonderful because we had a house full of children. Now, when we first started, neither one of us was Christians. We got saved in 1970. After we got saved, the whole thing changed. When we first started in Dayton, we used Santa Claus [in our displays]. After we got saved, we told the true story,” said Rudd.
When the couple moved to Blue Creek, her husband, Carl, quickly began to reconstruct the displays.
“I said, ‘Carl, surely you’re not going to do those lights down here, too?’ He said, ‘yes, I am!’ It was hardly anything to start with, but back then they really didn’t have anything anywhere here. Every year we added, and every year, more people came. We enjoyed it and we miss it so bad. Christmas will never be the same. I and Carl did it our entire marriage,” said Rudd.
The Christmas Farm consisted of 35 acres, with lovingly hand-painted motifs and lights sewn throughout its hinterland hummocks.
“When we first started in Blue Creek, it was nothing but a muddy mess. The road we lived on, Cassell Run, was just dirt. Bina Tolle would shovel dry leaves into the ruts so people would have something to drive on. The county began to lay gravel for as long as they could. Nobody had any money back then. One year, Gerald Hart Wallingford was running for county engineer. He said if we got him elected, he would see that we had a blacktopped road. He got elected, and a man of his word, he blacktopped our road. We poured cement walkways around our acreage and steps on the other side. It was great. Every year, we hear the same thing, how it meant so much to people, and how much they miss it. There was something about the Christmas farm you don’t have other places,” said Rudd.
When visitors weren’t carefully roaming the hillsides and gawking at the enrapturing holiday spectacles, they could enjoy the Christmas and gospel songs sung by Rudd and her girls.
Over the years, thousands of people from all over the country flocked to Rudd’s Christmas Farm.
“We didn’t want to quit, but Carl began to get Alzheimers. I couldn’t keep it all running. Closing wasn’t something we wanted to do, but we had no other choice. He had bone cancer, and got Alzheimer’s – there was no other choice,” said Rudd.
Even with the Christmas Farm gone, fond memories remain.
“My favorite memories are seeing friends every year and having people coming in. I [miss] seeing the smiles on the visitor’s faces. It wasn’t just children, it was adults, too. It wasn’t about us, and it wasn’t about what we did – it was what God did. It was just paintings, but there was something about the atmosphere there. I know it was the presence of God. He spoke to hearts. We had many people saved there. After Carl passed, I worked at Keim Family Market. A [man overheard someone say my last name], and he asked if I had anything to do with the Christmas farm. [After I said yes], he said there was a gentleman from Columbus that got saved at the crosses there, and he’s now preaching the gospel. There were a lot of people saved. We’ll never know until we get home,” said Rudd.
“There are so many people that have meant so much to us through the years. I know you miss it. We miss it, we do every year. Every year, it’s mentioned at our Christmas gettogether. I would just like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and get your heart right with the Lord. I’d like to meet all of you in heaven,” said Rudd.
Just like Rudd, many residents of Adams County can look back with fondness on Rudd’s Christmas Farm.
“Many people must remember the gravel road that was barely passable where so many people would wait in line all the way from Cassell Run to State Route 125. You would pass so many cars leaving and think, ‘when are we gonna get there?’ But once you go around the last curve and you saw the lights by the barn and on both sides of the hills it was magical,” said Daughter Cindy Rudd-Lawrence.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, her mother would make and pass out homemade cookies and candy.
“They also would buy boxes of peanuts and many people would sit in the log room and visit and eat peanuts with us. In the 80s thousands of people would come each year and she was unable to keep up with that many, so dad and mom would go to the stores each year after Halloween and buy candy to give out. We would fill a candy barrel and let people get a piece of candy from it. One year mom sewed my sisters, Deve, Sandra, and me elf outfits to wear as we passed out the candy. I wish I still had that outfit,” said Rudd-Lawrence.
In 1995, Lawrence and her husband, Phil, purchased the snack bar from her uncle and moved the singing to the parking lot beside the snack bar.
“We would sing and serve hot chocolate and snacks from there. Dad and mom would also have groups sing in the log home as well,” she said.
Granddaughter Kourtney Davis was four when the farm closed.
“Something that spectacular is not easily forgotten. Even though I was so young, I understood the story they were telling with each scene grandma hand-painted. Christmas wasn’t just about presents under the tree, it was about the birth of our savior. That was the beauty of the lights. It reached all ages and that was their goal—to reach out and witness to as many people as possible. And though papaw now knows, I believe they will only know the magnitude of people they touched with their display when we get to heaven,” said Davis.
Amber Dryden-Grooms can remember when her parents would take her and her siblings to see the display.
“As a young girl and in my eyes, it looked like a big city. One memory I have is of my Uncle Dale who had cerebral palsy, he would go with us as well. I remember my dad pushing him around in a wheelchair as far as he could and then carrying him up and down the hills so he could enjoy it all. This made my heart so happy to see the love between these two brothers. I will never forget the spirit of Christmas that I felt there each year that I would visit,” said Dryden-Grooms.
Tabby Jones, now 34, can remember when she and her sibling visited as a child.
“I was a child around the age of maybe seven years old, just barely old enough to know. Me and my brother, Daniel, were the only siblings at the time. He was only two. I remember my dad taking our church youth group to Ruddss Christmas Farm, also. Back in my day, Christmas was more about baby Jesus than Santa Claus. I remember choir music playing as we walked the trails seeing biblical presentations. It was a big deal for our family and church group! I remember going one year and eating the most amazing airhead taffy with my amazing hot chocolate! The year after they didn’t have the shop. Years go by and I get older, but I never forgot about the things I felt as a child. Walking the trails of wintry scenes and lights holding my daddy’s hand, ending with heating up my soul with hot chocolate, is my best memory at Rudd’s Christmas Farm. I’d like to make it a better memory If I could bring my children now and it be the same joy and spirit I felt. Let’s keep it about Jesus,” said Jones.
Jones still has a bell that her grandmother bought from the farm.
According to Sue Temple, it was a family tradition every year to go to Rudd’s Christmas Farm.
“I miss going. I’m so glad that the Christmas caves in Minford, Ohio, have some of Rudd’s lights,” she said.
Kathleen Baker-Eagleston went many times with her parents.
“My dad was a meter reader for the electric company and was always worried about Mr. Rudd’s electric bill! Another great memory I have is kneeling with my husband and small nephew, Matt, and praying in the little room on the hill. I was so blessed that my little nephew was in awe of the lights, but I could also teach him of Jesus’ birth at the same place. I also have a little wood deer I purchased at Rudd’s Christmas Farm that I still treasure all these years later,” said Baker-Eagleston.
Grant Jaeger lived on a lane behind the Christmas Farm on Graces Run Road.
“I moved to Blue Creek and lost touch. My aunt lived on Cassel Run back then. I remember going to see the lights as a kid, it was the best place ever. Blue Creek was a very busy place back then for sure. I’ll never forget,” said Jaeger.
Jennifer Ann McCullah currently lives in the home where the famed Christmas Farm once operated.
“There are still concrete paths up in the hills and there are still old strands of lights we’ll never be able to reach to pull down. Never got to see it in its hay day but I’ve seen the pictures and it was beautiful,” said McCullah.
For as long as Deidra Lynch can remember, she and her family went to the Christmas Farm two or three times a year during the holidays.
“It was a family tradition that started with mom taking me as a baby and so forth. My husband and I continued to go there while dating all through high school and even after marrying and starting a family of our own. Sadly, our youngest never got to experience the lights since it was already shut down by then. The memories of climbing the hills, the animals, all the lights, the snack bar with its wonderful food, the family atmosphere; it always lingers in the back of my mind with the wish that things were still that way, especially during these difficult times,” said Lynch.
Sherry Turner Bennington exclaimed that there will never be a Christmas Farm or lights like Rudd’s.
“Carl, Judy and family worked hard and it showed! They told the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.
The current owner of the road sign which directed visitors to the farm is Tami Rudd.
“My Aunt found it at the Florence Antique Mall in Kentucky. I paid $45 for it. I guess it was auctioned off with the other stuff and somehow ended up in Kentucky. I remember taking my children there every year. We loved the Rudd’s Christmas display,” said Rudd.
Courtney Hendricks, like many others, misses the farm.
“I have so many great memories there with my cousins, siblings, aunt/uncles and my parents. I wish I could take my kids there to Experience the magic I did as a child,” said Hendricks.
Noreen Highfield and her family went twice to see the lights.
“One year was either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It was so very cold, like five degrees outside. I think it was ‘77 or ‘78 and there had been snow on the ground for several days. They had animals in the barn you could pet and one was a young doe. I started petting it and it started licking my hand. The next thing I knew, it had my whole hand in its mouth sucking on it! Most likely my skin was a little salty from walking around. They always had hot chocolate for people to drink and a nice warm fire to warm up afterward. The lights and displays were absolutely beautiful; the best around at that time,” said Highfield.
Lizabeth Lafferty remembers her grandmother serving food to tourists.
“My grandmother, Grace Lafferty, served fried chicken, baked steak and coconut cream pie night after night to dozens of chartered greyhound buses full of tourists going to see the Rudd’s Christmas Farm,” said Lafferty.
Dave Fulton remembers his father, former Sheriff Louie Fulton, offering his services each year to the family.
“My Dad, Louie Fulton, was Sheriff from 1973 to 1985. He looked forward each year to provide parking instructions for all the visitors. He always said that the Rudd family was a great family,” said Fulton.
Cyndi Birchfield was pregnant with her first child when she visited the farm.
“My aunt made me go and walk the hill to help with putting me into labor. We went on Dec. 31, which was my birthday, so that would have been 1982. Needless to say, I didn’t have him for another week, but we enjoyed our time together and loved to go to Rudd’s,” said Birchfield.
Corbett Phipps’ two children always got a big dill pickle and hot chocolate at the food stand.
“They were remembering it during Thanksgiving dinner, so we are having dill pickles for Christmas this year in memory of our every Christmas trip to Rudd’s. White Gravel Mine in Scioto County has some of Rudd’s lights and a sign dedicated to the Rudds. Well worth the trip this Christmas,” said Phipps.
Melissa Hurkes fondly remembers Carl being one of the sweetest men.
“Carl Rudd was one of the sweetest men ever! I have plenty of memories of going to the lights as a kid! I also got to turn the lights on a handful of times as a kid,” she said.
Julie Newland went with her grandparent, mother and father.
“The whole family went together. When I got older, I took my own kids. We were always excited the day we went. Time could not have passed fast enough to be dark so we could go. I wished they were still there. I would have loved to take my grandchild,” said Newland.
