THE BEAUTY QUEENS PLAYGROUND

by Lisa Nees

EDITOR'S NOTE: Before Cypress Gardens closed on April 13, 2003, it was known as Florida's first theme park and the most breathtaking garden in the world. Many legendary beauty queens visited the park over the years. These queens were treated to Cypress Gardens for its amazing scenery, tropical landscape, beautiful foliage, perfect sunshine, big gorgeous lake, world famous ski show, and incredible photo and film opportunities. This article, researched in 1999 for Pageantry's Spring 2000 issue, recalls those glory days, when Cypress Gardens was the reigning beauty queen of theme parks.

THE VERY FIRST BEAUTY QUEENS

Before the prestigious Miss America system "caught on" to the existence of Cypress Gardens, other queens were already signing autographs for hundreds of adoring fans. Some of these queens, such as Miss Azalea and Miss Watermelon, were also crowned at Cypress Gardens. The Gardens are so beautiful that in one breath-taking week, nine different queens were crowned! The beautiful titleholders found strolling throughout the park certainly helped turn Cypress Gardens into a favorite spot for the soldiers who visited during WWII.

"These are not Esquire Girls, but wholesome, young ladies from the area and across the country," explained Dick Pope, the founder, who used the utmost respect when shooting or mailing out photographs of these lovely ladies.

The most popular photo ever sent out was distributed to commemorate Leap Year in 1948. It was a shot simply showing a girl in a bathing suit leaping into the air and was published, by actual count of clippings, in 3,670 American newspapers and magazines!

MISS AMERICA DISCOVERS THE PARK

Miss America 1964 Donna Axum plays host to Cypress Gardens 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Soon Miss America, and other pageant systems, learned of the beautiful Gardens and treated their winners to this remote tropical paradise during their year of service. Such legendary Miss America title holders as Evelyn Ay ('54) Lee Ann Meriwether ('55), Marian McKnight ('57), Marilyn Elaine Van Derbur ('58), Mary Ann Mobley ('59), Lynda Lee Mead ('60), Nancy Fleming ('61), Maria Beale Fletcher ('62), Jackie Mayer ('63), Donna Axum ('64), Vonda Van Dyke ('65), Deborah Bryant ('66), Pam Eldred ('70), Phyllis George ('71), and Laurel Lea Schaefer ('72) were known to make more than one voyage to the Gardens, with some trips taken even after their reign. Eventually, Cypress Gardens was referred to as the "Playground of the Miss Americas."

A CLOSER LOOK

Perhaps you're wondering what these legendary titleholders did during their stay at the Gardens? Well, according to an article in the Tampa Tribune (Sept. 30, 1969): "On her (Pam Eldred, Miss America '70) first official visit as the reigning Miss America and her first visit to Florida, Pam posed with sunglasses of all shapes and colors and a variety of hats while cameramen and visitors crowded in for a good look at 'their' beauty queen." Further in the article, it explains that Pam also addressed the gathering crowd, offering her own view of many different items of the day. She was certainly ahead of her time when at one point she commented, "We should think as much about going into a contest to grow as a person as we do about winning it."

Aside from public appearances, most of the Miss Americas also participated in the water sports (boating, sailing, water-skiing, jet-skiing, etc.) found in the Gardens and also posed as Southern Belles for spectators. (For you younger readers: yes, they had jet-skiing back in the '70s.) The Miss Americas who visited did numerous other things as well, and here's a brief look:

One of the things Miss America '71 Phyllis George did was play frisbee with a few of the park's attendants. She also rode a bicycle past unwitting visitors, surf-boarded, and canoed. Aside from having a wonderful personality, apparently she was also quite athletic... one of the many reasons she was chosen to be Miss America.

Marilyn Van Derbur, Miss America '58, also did a few unusual things outside of the routine activities of greeting visitors, crowning a local beauty queen, and awarding trophies to the world champions of various events. Marilyn was brave enough to try her hand at hand-gliding (yikes!). She also played softball (risky with makeup), and of all things, she went fishing! However, the most unusual (borderline crazy) thing she did was to appear in one of the water-ski shows as a water skier! Do you think the spectators knew that one of the skiers was Miss America?

Another brave Miss America was Nancy Fleming, Miss America '61. Despite the many tame things she could have done (greeting guests, signing autographs, etc.), Nancy opted to go scuba diving instead. She donned a swimsuit and tank, then hit Lake Eloise for some Florida fun. (The next Miss America also donned an air tank!) During her stay, Nancy was also awarded a key to the city from Winter Haven Mayor Tom Turnbull.

Lee Ann Meriwether, Miss America '55, also thoroughly enjoyed her trip to Cypress Gardens. How do we know that? Because in 1958 she spent part of her honeymoon there with husband Frank Aletter! Lee Ann also became friends with founder Dick Pope's son during her original visit and ended up attending his wedding in 1957 to Frances Layton, a former Citrus Queen. It was becoming obvious that these Miss Americas were truly enjoying Cypress Gardens.

According to an article in the Tampa Tribune on October 5, 1962: "Each year the new Miss America makes two visits to Cypress Gardens for publicity pictures. The first visit usually occurs in October or early November, as is the case with this year's Miss America (Jackie Mayer, Miss America '63), and the second visit takes place after her appearance in the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami on January 1st..... Many past titleholders have come back for another visit after their year as Miss America (has) finished."

Speaking of Jackie Mayer, she also received an official key to a city (Orlando) from Orlando Mayor Robert S. Carr immediately after her arrival. While at Cypress Gardens, Jackie learned how to water ski despite dozens of cameras snapping her every move. (This may have been one of the few times she didn't want cameras around!) The next day she modeled a two-piece cardigan and skirt ensemble (and other fashions of the '60s) during a fashion shoot.

Miss America '62 Maria Beale Fletcher also participated in a photo shoot. According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times (December 17, 1961): "A new addition to the Cypress Garden's corp of beauties is North Carolina's Maria Fletcher, Miss America 1962. Maria is basking in the sun at the Gardens in preparation for the All American Water Ski Tournament which begins today. She'll present trophies to slalom winners and get in some skiing herself, though not for competition."

PAGEANTS AT CYPRESS GARDENS

In addition to the visits from famous queens and celebrities, pageants were also taking place at the same time. Miss Cypress Gardens and Miss Flame were held in 1978. Mrs. Florida America was held in 1982, and there were many pageants held with flowers in their name: Miss Azalea, Miss Gardenia, Miss Rose, and Miss Zinnia. Other regular pageants were Miss Orchid Queen, Miss Orange Queen, Miss Watermelon Queen, and Miss Smile.

Attending these pageants, or sometimes just coincidentally visiting the park, were famous beauty queens aside from the perennial Miss Americas such as Miss University of Florida '72, Miss International Dominican '82, and Miss World USA 1973! No wonder so many beautiful young ladies were seen strolling through the Gardens.