Miss America 1953

Miss America 1953, the 26th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1952.

Miss America 1953
Date	September 6, 1952
Venue	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants	52
Placements	10
Winner	Neva Jane Langley Georgia

Neva Jane Langley became the first Miss Georgia to win the crown.

Results

Placements

Placement	Contestant
Miss America 1953	Georgia – Neva Jane Langley
1st Runner-Up	Indiana – Ann Marie Garnier
2nd Runner-Up	California – Jeanne Shores
3rd Runner-Up	Alabama – Gwen Harmon
4th Runner-Up	Chicago – Jo Hoppe
Top 10	Greater Philadelphia – Patricia Mary Hunt Hawaii – Beverly Kathleen Rivera Louisiana – Barbara Frances Barker New York City – Joan Elizabeth Kayne South Carolina – Mary Kemp Griffin

Awards

Preliminary awards

Awards	Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness	Alabama - Gwen Harmon (tie) California - Jeanne Shores (tie) Chicago - Jo Hoppe Georgia - Neva Jane Langley
Talent	District of Columbia - Iris Anne Fitch Georgia - Neva Jane Langley New York City - Joan Elizabeth Kayne

Other awards

Awards	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	District of Columbia - Iris Anne Fitch (tie) Oklahoma - Shirley Maurine Barbour (tie)
Non-finalist Talent	North Dakota - Margaret Aandahl

Contestants

State	Name	Hometown	Age	Talent	Placement	Awards	Notes
Alabama	Gwen Harmon	Birmingham	19	Vocal, "A Heart That's Free"	3rd Runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Arkansas	Bonnie Nicksic	Hot Springs		Vocal/Dance, "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" from Show Boat
California	Jeanne Shores	Azusa		Dramatic Monologue	2nd Runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Canada	Marilyn "Thelma" Delores Reddick	Agincourt
Chicago	Jo Hoppe	Chicago		Tap Dance	4th Runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Colorado	Chardelle Hayward	Fort Collins		Piano
Connecticut	Joyce Yeske	West Hartford		Ballroom Dance
Delaware	Helen Blackwell	Wilmington		Classical Vocal
District of Columbia	Iris Fitch	Washington D.C.	19	Vocal, "With a Song in my Heart"		Miss Congeniality Preliminary Talent Award
Florida	Marcia Crane	Orlando		Piano, "Gershwin Prelude"
Georgia	Neva Jane Langley	Macon	19	Classical Piano, "Toccata"	Winner	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award
Greater Philadelphia	Patricia Hunt	Philadelphia		Drama	Top 10
Hawaii	Beverly Kathleen Rivera	Honolulu		Hula	Top 10
Idaho	ZoeAnn Warberg	Twin Falls	18	Speech, "The Sacred Duty of the American to Vote"			First female judge in Idaho's 5th Judicial District and appeared on the 1985 Miss America telecast. ZoeAnn Warberg Shaub died at 83 on Sept. 13, 2017 as result of a car accident in rural Jackpot, Nevada.
Illinois	Glenna Marie Pohly	Rock Falls		Flute
Indiana	Ann Garnier	Indianapolis		Classical Vocal, "Il Baciò" by Luigi Arditi	1st Runner-up
Iowa	Carolyn Hill	Cedar Falls	19	Vocal, "You're My Everything"
Kansas	Kay Ann Goforth	McPherson		Vocal/Dance
Kentucky	Joy Williams	Lexington		Dance
Louisiana	Barbara Barker	Monroe		Drama, "The Fog"	Top 10
Maine	Norma Lee Collins	Caribou
Maryland	Shirley Virginia Harrison	Baltimore		Monologue from Tom Sawyer
Massachusetts	Barbara Graves	Milton
Michigan	Karol Dragomir	Benton Harbor		Vocal, "I'll Walk Alone"
Minnesota	Carole Wick	Duluth		Vocal
Mississippi	Dora Livingston	Yazoo City
Missouri	Florence Spack	Clayton		Vocal
Montana	Karen Whittet	Livingston		Piano
Nebraska	Helen Francis Burhorn	Omaha		Piano, Warsaw Concerto
Nevada	Bonnie Wilson	Reno		Ballet, "Something to Dance About"
New Hampshire	Barbara Temperly	Goffstown
New Jersey	Mary Parker	Gibbsboro		Drama
New York	Joan St. John	Binghamton		Vocal
New York City	Joan Kayne	New York City		Dance	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
North Carolina	Barbara Harris	Salisbury		Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix"
North Dakota	Margaret Aandahl	Litchville		Piano		Non-finalist Talent Award
Ohio	Carol Koontz	Bolivar		Fire Baton Twirling & Clarinet
Oklahoma	Shirley Barbour	Tulsa		Drama		Miss Congeniality
Oregon	Mary Lou Teague	Eugene		Vocal, "Love is Where You Find it"
Pennsylvania	Miriam Smith	McAlisterville		Pipe Organ, "Tico Tico"
Puerto Rico	Helga Edmee Monroig
Rhode Island	Jayne Bradshaw	Westerly		Classical Vocal
South Carolina	Mary Griffin	Florence		Classical Vocal	Top 10		1st Runner-up at Miss USA 1953 representing Myrtle Beach 5th Runner-up at Miss World 1953 representing the United States
South Dakota	Sandra Hart	Huron		Fire Baton Twirling
Tennessee	Gloria Williams	Chattanooga		Vocal, "Lover, When You're Near Me"
Texas	Connie Hopping	Littlefield		Vocal
Utah	Marylyn Reese	Brigham		Monologue, "The Mudlark" & "Our Town"
Vermont	Barbara Moore	St. Johnsbury		Baton Twirling/Dance
Virginia	Edna Long	Richmond		Dance
West Virginia	Nancy Rohrbough	Grafton		Dance
Wisconsin	Jeannie Eleanor Huston	La Crosse	19	Cello
Wyoming	Ruth Francis	Casper		Drama

External links

• Miss America official website