Miss Vermilion Crowned – June 1964

Part of Vermilion’s annual Festival of the Fish is a princess pageant with the winner crowned Miss Vermilion. But back in 1964, it was still three years before the first Festival of the Fish would be launched in 1967. However, the Miss Vermilion contest was still part of the summer celebration.

As you can see in the ad above, which ran in the Vermilion Photojournal on May 13, 1964, the Miss Vermilion contest was a tie-in with Miss Putt Putt. Romp’s Putt Putt (now Romp’s Putter Port) was the main sponsor of the contest.

The ballot below with three lovely ladies appeared in the Photojournal on June 17, 1964.

An article in the same edition of the newspaper noted, “With only three more days to go it is expected that the voting in the Miss Vermilion contest will really speed up.

“Not only will the winner reign at all local civic events, but her picture will also be entered in the National Miss Putt Putt Contest where the top prize is $1,000. A spot check at some of the ballot boxes showed the voting to be heavy. If you haven’t voted yet be sure to stop in at any member firm of the Vermilion Business and Industrial Association and pickup a ballot, or you may use the ballot in last week’s and this week’s Photojournal.”

So who won?

As reported in the June 24, 1964 Photojournal, “Vermilion’s third annual early summer celebration, dubbed the Summer Send-Off this years, proved up to expectations.

“Starting Saturday off with the Mayor’s Conference at the Library in the morning, through the luncheon at McGarvey’s to the crowning of Miss Vermilion in the afternoon, it was a busy day. Honored guest was Mr. Frank Briggs, Assistant Secretary of the Interior who was accompanied from Washington by his wife and daughter.

“Secretary Briggs crowned Carol Radde as Miss Vermilion, winner of the popularity contest sponsored by Romp’s Putt Putt Golf Course and the Vermilion Business and Industrial Association. Over 4,500 votes were cast for the three finalists. The other two contestants, Barbara Cantrell and Linda Lane served as Attendants.

“The new Miss Vermilion and her attendants started their duties early Sunday as they attended the Community Breakfast at Vermilion Harbor Yacht Club.

From the front page of the June 24, 1964 Vermilion Photojournal