Phillips County Museum News for Wednesday, July 24, 2024

In July 1924, The Enterprise newspaper announced a contest for selecting a princess to represent Phillips County in the Queen of Montana contest to be held at the state fair in Helena.

The requirements to enter the contest were that you were a female resident of Phillips County for at least the past six months and were between the ages of 18 and 25. The winner of the county contest would have all expenses paid from the time they left Malta until they returned. In Helena, the Phillips County representative would compete against the other county winners for the “Queen of Montana” title. The Queen would receive an all-expense paid trip to The International Petroleum Exposition in Tulsa, Oklahoma to compete against the winners from 17 other oil-producing states and would be required to send in a photograph of herself to the manager who was in Helena.

The nominating ballot was printed in the July 17 issue and had to be returned to the paper by the 26th. Voting ballots were printed in the next two weekly editions of the newspaper. Each ballot was good for 100 votes. Those nominated included Mona St. Hill, LaBonna Christenson, Emma Smith, Francis Dunbar, Ruth Westman, and Dorothy Edwards all of Malta, Verna West of Saco, and Loraine Jones of Dodson.

The votes were counted by Malta businessmen B.H. Koke, E. Sklower, and Leon Reed on the evening of August 9. Emma Smith won the contest with 120,000 votes with Dorothy Edwards placing a close second. In the year 1923, Dagney Hanson won the title of princess. Back in 1922, it was Norabell Stubblefield who took first.

Stop by the Phillips County Museum to learn more fascinating facts about early-day life in the area.

We are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.