Artist Fiona Gardner and writer Amy Zimmer recently caught up with some of the winners of the Miss Subways pageant, held in New York City between 1941 and 1976, to find out where these former transit beauty queens are today. Their resulting show, ‘Meet Miss Subways,’ presents ten subjects, years later, but once again wearing their victory sash.
The Miss Subways contest, sponsored by the New York Subways Advertising agency, was designed to draw more attention to ads in subway cars. Pictures of the reigning Miss Subways along with a short description of her interests and aspirations were posted among the ads. One such placard for Mary Gardiner, one of the women included in the show, reads: “Thank County Mayo parents for this Washington Heights beauty. An Aquinas graduate, she loves her secretarial job in airline office. Now 19; stands 5′ 71/2″; skates, swims, paints in oil.”
The pageant was open to women who lived in New York and rode the subway. Nominees were chosen by a modeling agent, and the public could vote by phone or mail. Many Miss Subways were working class, and there were African-American, Asian, and Latina winners (Sonia Dominguez, pictured above, was crowned in 1974) long before that was common in mainstream pageants.
Meet Miss Subways–the title is borrowed from a Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem–has a wistful tone. In Fiona Gardner’s portraits the viewer confronts the passing of time and the settling of youthful aspirations of stardom into a more mundane reality. The first Miss Subways, Mona Freeman, did go on to star in several movies, but most of her peers ended up in less glamorous professions.
Ellen Hart Sturm, a 1959 winner featured in the exhibition, opened Ellen’s Stardust Diner, a 1950’s themed restaurant in midtown Manhattan which includes pageant memorabilia among its decor. Last month, she hosted a reunion for 27 Miss Subways. Many are now in their 70’s and 80’s.
In 2004, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York Post briefly resurrected the contest, this time as Ms. Subways, to celebrate the 100th year of the subway. The image of the winner, Caroline Sanchez-Bernat, graced posters throughout the subway system promoting subway safety and etiquette.
Meet Miss Subways is on display through May 30, 2009 at Rush Art Galleries in Manhattan.
Saralee Pincus, 1950:
Ayana Lawson Scott, 1975:
Dorthea Mate, 1942:
Mary Gardiner, 1953:
Neddy Garde, 1967:
Ellen Hart Sturm, 1959:
Rebecca Schiffman is a painter and musician. She lives in New York and writes at the UES Journal.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Was this the basis of the “Miss Turnstiles” in “On the Town” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Town_(film))?
May 7th, 2009 at 9:15 am
[...] valuable (even a source of pride). Such is the case in New York with the Miss Subways Pageant. LINK. (Via Infrastructurist) This entry was posted in Compulsions, Culture, Images, Photography, [...]
May 7th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Probably. On the Town was written just a few years after Miss Subways started. The Wikipedia entry for Miss Subways lists ‘On the Town’ as a cultural reference.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
I am looking for information on my mother who was a former Miss Subways. Her name was Muriel Dietz. She would have won sometime between 1944 an 1945. I am desperate to locate a copy of the original poster.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Looking for Carmen Enriquez she is my aunt but I never met her my mom said she was a miss subway sometime in the 40’s is there a way to find a pic of her? thank you Angel Strong
angelsorse@aol.com
June 28th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
i am looking for documentation of a miss beverly golden who won miss subway in the 40’s.
is there someplace i can find a true listing, perhaps with that poster photo–thanks
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 pm
My MOm is going to be 90…Jan 12 2010.. I wonder if I can get a
picture… Beatrice Palmer I am her daughter…
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:53 pm
My husband’s aunt, Beatrice Palmer LaCorte, was Miss Subways probably back in the 1940’s. We are not sure of the date. She will be celebrating her 90th birthday Jan. 12, 2010 and we would love to get our hands on a copy of her poster. Can anyone look this information up for us. Please e-mail me at above address. Many thanks.
Joan Decker
August 13th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
PLEASE FIND MY MOTHER BEVERLY LESSNER WHO WAS MISSS SUBWAY IN THE 40′S
CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH ANY PHOTOS & OTHER INFORMANTION ?
REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT SO VERY MUCH, SHE WAS A TRUE BEAUTY IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD,
BETH SCHWARTZ
August 21st, 2009 at 11:44 am
I remember that Doris Day was a Miss Subways under her real name which I cannot recall now but it began with a K.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I am trying to locate information re: Ms. Subway, Ana Lopez. Her daughter is seeking information. She was the first Puerto Rican MS. Subway and the years must have been about 1970 or earlier.
October 4th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Is there someone we can contact at MTA (their webpage not working) to find out if Beatrice Palmer was either a Miss Subway (probably back in the ’40s), or a nominee. Would love to have cc of her poster for her upcoming 90th birthday in January. FYI, Beatrice Palmer LaCorte lives in FL, traveled by herself last yr. to spend two weeks in PA with me, and walks 3 miles a day! I wish I had her energy. Have already been in touch with people at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. They can’t find anything.
Thanks for your help.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I’m teting to locate an old friend who was miss subway in the fifties.
Her name is Rita Rogers who lived in the city 551 west 160 st.
I met her in New Bedford, Mass. where she would visit her uncle during the summer time.
Last time I saw her was in 1952 when I was in the Navy.
Thank you for any help rendered.
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I was very pleased to finally get some information (and a picture to boot!) of Ayana Lawson. I was named after her!!