Miss America 1953, the 26th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1952.
Neva Jane Langley became the first Miss Georgia to win the crown.
Results
Placements Placement ContestantMiss America 1953 – Neva Jane Langley1st Runner-Up – Ann Marie Garnier2nd Runner-Up – Jeanne Shores3rd Runner-Up – Gwen Harmon4th Runner-Up – Jo HoppeTop 10 – Patricia Mary Hunt – Beverly Kathleen Rivera – Barbara Frances Barker – Joan Elizabeth Kayne – Mary Kemp Griffin
Awards Preliminary awards Awards Contestant Lifestyle and Fitness - Gwen Harmon (tie) - Jeanne Shores (tie) - Jo Hoppe - Neva Jane Langley Talent - Iris Anne Fitch - Neva Jane Langley - Joan Elizabeth Kayne
Other awards Awards Contestant Miss Congeniality - Iris Anne Fitch (tie) - Shirley Maurine Barbour (tie)Non-finalist Talent - Margaret Aandahl
Contestants
+StateNameHometownAgeTalentNotes AlabamaGwen HarmonBirmingham19Vocal, "A Heart That's Free" ArkansasBonnie NicksicHot SpringsVocal/Dance, "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" from Show Boat CaliforniaJeanne ShoresAzusaDramatic Monologue CanadaMarilyn "Thelma" Delores ReddickAgincourt ChicagoJo HoppeChicagoTap Dance ColoradoChardelle HaywardFort CollinsPiano ConnecticutJoyce YeskeWest HartfordBallroom Dance DelawareHelen BlackwellWilmingtonClassical Vocal District of ColumbiaIris FitchWashington D.C.19Vocal, "With a Song in my Heart" FloridaMarcia CraneOrlandoPiano, "Gershwin Prelude" GeorgiaNeva Jane LangleyMacon19Classical Piano, "Toccata" Greater PhiladelphiaPatricia HuntPhiladelphiaDrama HawaiiBeverly Kathleen RiveraHonoluluHula IdahoZoeAnn WarbergTwin Falls 18Speech, "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. IllinoisGlenna Marie PohlyRock FallsFlute IndianaAnn GarnierIndianapolisClassical Vocal, "Il Baciò" by Luigi Arditi IowaCarolyn HillCedar Falls19Vocal, "You're My Everything" KansasKay Ann GoforthMcPhersonVocal/Dance KentuckyJoy WilliamsLexingtonDance LouisianaBarbara BarkerMonroeDrama, "The Fog" MaineNorma Lee CollinsCaribou MarylandShirley Virginia HarrisonBaltimoreMonologue from Tom Sawyer MassachusettsBarbara GravesMilton MichiganKarol DragomirBenton HarborVocal, "I'll Walk Alone" MinnesotaCarole WickDuluthVocal MississippiDora LivingstonYazoo City MissouriFlorence SpackClaytonVocal MontanaKaren WhittetLivingstonPiano NebraskaHelen Francis BurhornOmahaPiano, Warsaw Concerto NevadaBonnie WilsonRenoBallet, "Something to Dance About" New HampshireBarbara TemperlyGoffstown New JerseyMary ParkerGibbsboroDrama New YorkJoan St. JohnBinghamtonVocal New York CityJoan KayneNew York CityDance North CarolinaBarbara HarrisSalisburyClassical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" North DakotaMargaret AandahlLitchvillePiano OhioCarol KoontzBolivarFire Baton Twirling & Clarinet OklahomaShirley BarbourTulsaDrama OregonMary Lou TeagueEugeneVocal, "Love is Where You Find it" PennsylvaniaMiriam SmithMcAlistervillePipe Organ, "Tico Tico" Puerto RicoHelga Edmee Monroig Rhode IslandJayne BradshawWesterlyClassical Vocal South CarolinaMary GriffinFlorenceClassical Vocal1st Runner-up at Miss USA 1953 representing Myrtle Beach
5th Runner-up at Miss World 1953 representing the United States South DakotaSandra HartHuronFire Baton Twirling TennesseeGloria WilliamsChattanoogaVocal, "Lover, When You're Near Me" TexasConnie HoppingLittlefieldVocal UtahMarylyn ReeseBrighamMonologue, "The Mudlark" & "Our Town" VermontBarbara MooreSt. JohnsburyBaton Twirling/Dance VirginiaEdna LongRichmondDance West VirginiaNancy RohrboughGraftonDance WisconsinJeannie Eleanor HustonLa Crosse19Cello WyomingRuth FrancisCasperDrama
References
External links Miss America official website