The pageant was created by public relations executive Bert Nevins in 1936 as a promotion for his client, Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. When Nevins sold the pageant in 1963, it was the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women. By 1964, participants were graded on cooking, sewing, ironing, party preparation and other homemaking abilities, family psychology, grooming, poise, personality, and general attractiveness. Winners included: Source: online newspaper archives 1938: Margaret Chamberlain, Ohio (appeared on Family Feud in 1980) 1939: Theresa Papp, New Jersey 1940: Evelyn Schmitt, New Jersey 1941: Ruth Licklider, New York 1942: Peggie Diehl, Minnesota? 1943–46: no pageant (World War II) 1947: Janice Pollock, Ohio; then Fredda Acker, South Carolina (after Pollock abdicated) 1948: Maria Strohmeier, Pennsylvania 1949: Frances Cloyd, California 1950: Betty McAllister, Pennsylvania 1951: 1952: Penny Duncan, New York; Peggy Creel, Florida (judges' contest winner, Creel was the winner; but Duncan was announced) 1953: Evelyn Joyce Schenk, New Jersey 1954: Erna Snyder, Pennsylvania 1955: Wanda Jennings, Missouri 1956: Ramona Deitemeyer, Nebraska (appeared on What's My Line May 22, 1955) 1957: Cleo Maletis, Oregon 1958: Lynwood Finley, District of Columbia 1959: Helen Giesse, Ohio 1960: Margaret Priebe, Iowa 1961: Mrs. Rosemary Murphy, Indiana 1962: Lila Masson, Michigan 1963: Marilyn Mitchell, California 1964: Deseree Jenkins, South Carolina 1965: Alice Buehner, Utah 1966: Joy Noufer, Texas 1967: Marlene Cochran, Kansas 1968: Joan Fisher, Utah 1969: Hosts Chet Buchannan Barbara Chase Bobby Van Richard Dawson Florence Henderson Christopher Knight Alan Thicke References External links Beauty pageants in the United States 1977 establishments in the United States American awards America (contest)