Indianapolis News Article
March 19, 1959
1959 '500' Festival to Have Queen
Directors of the "500" Festival have been invited
to nominate candidates for a queen who will reign
during this year's activities.
The selection of a queen will be a new feature in
festival activities.
Howard S. Wilcox, president of the festival, has
asked each of the 33 directors to sponsor a girl
of his choosing in the queen competition.
Nominations are due by Saturday.
The 33 candidates will attend an April 18 lunch-
eon in the Indianapolis Athletic Club at which time
a secret panel of judges will select a "pole row"
of three candidates.
A queen will be picked from those three the
following week.
"We believe this activity will add grace, beauty
and dignity to the festival," Wilcox said. "The
queen will rule throughout the many activities of
the 1959 festival."
He said the queen candidates must be single,
between the ages of 16 and 21, and residents
of Indiana.
March 19, 1959
1959 '500' Festival to Have Queen
Directors of the "500" Festival have been invited
to nominate candidates for a queen who will reign
during this year's activities.
The selection of a queen will be a new feature in
festival activities.
Howard S. Wilcox, president of the festival, has
asked each of the 33 directors to sponsor a girl
of his choosing in the queen competition.
Nominations are due by Saturday.
The 33 candidates will attend an April 18 lunch-
eon in the Indianapolis Athletic Club at which time
a secret panel of judges will select a "pole row"
of three candidates.
A queen will be picked from those three the
following week.
"We believe this activity will add grace, beauty
and dignity to the festival," Wilcox said. "The
queen will rule throughout the many activities of
the 1959 festival."
He said the queen candidates must be single,
between the ages of 16 and 21, and residents
of Indiana.
| INDY 500 QUEENS |
| 1959 500 Festival Princess Program Yearbook |
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Other Web Sites:
500 Festival Web Site
500 Festival Princess Program
500 Festival Web Site
500 Festival Princess Program
| Queen Ann Lawrie |
| Princesses with Fred Agabashian |
| Princesses with Tony Hulman |
Donna Biship
Ann Bradford
Peggy Brown
Sylvia Butler
Linda Campbell
Barbara Canatsey
Karen Ann Collins
Nancy Davis
Jean Devlin
Susan Duck
Sherry Easter
Nancy Kay Farr
Carolyn Ann Ford
Patricia Ann Gates
Ann Bradford
Peggy Brown
Sylvia Butler
Linda Campbell
Barbara Canatsey
Karen Ann Collins
Nancy Davis
Jean Devlin
Susan Duck
Sherry Easter
Nancy Kay Farr
Carolyn Ann Ford
Patricia Ann Gates
The princesses of 1959 included 16 college students, 14 high school students and 3 working girls.
Anita J. Graber
Janet Graver
Marcia Graves
Mary K Hackemeyer
Lydia Ann Hildreth
Karen Lemasters
Andra Ann Maurer
Diane M. McFarland
Marilyn Sue Myers
Rita Marlene Reed
Diana Schmitt
Wilma Jean Wheatcraft
Barbara Joan Williams
Kay Woodring
Janet Graver
Marcia Graves
Mary K Hackemeyer
Lydia Ann Hildreth
Karen Lemasters
Andra Ann Maurer
Diane M. McFarland
Marilyn Sue Myers
Rita Marlene Reed
Diana Schmitt
Wilma Jean Wheatcraft
Barbara Joan Williams
Kay Woodring
| The Queen - Ann Lawrie The Princesses: The Court Kay Sims Jeannie Sinnock Joni Tischer |
Indianapolis News Article
May 29 1959
By Jane Moore Howe
1,000 Guests Open Race Festival at Glittering Governor's Ball
Everybody, yes, everybody, was there last night at the Governor's Reception, dinner
and invitational ball in the Indiana Roof Ballroom.
A thousand guests filled the ballroom to overflowing. There were celebrities, political,
industrial and social leaders and countless out-of-town guests.
Thank goodness there also was air conditioning!
Everything went on schedule, no small accomplishment in that large gathering.
The buffet supper began promptly at 7:30 pm and was served from a large V-shaped
table near the stage.
High point of the evening, of course, was at 9 pm when the first Queen Annie Lawrie,
was crowned.
It was a colorful, impressive ceremony beginning with the presentation of colors by color
guards from the US Armed Services.
To the music of "Just the Way You Look Tonight" played by Tommy Dorsey's orchestra,
each of the 32 princesses entered and was introduced.
Joined by their escorts, they formed a double line down the center of the ballroom. In
their dainty pastel dresses, full-skirted and short, each carrying an old-fashioned
bouquet of red roses and white carnations centered with an orchid, they looked
completely charming.
Then Ann Lawrie entered, carrying a huge sheath of red roses, throwing kisses and
captivating hearts. She walked down the aisle formed by her court.
Her long dress of white silk organza, silk square neckline and tiny puffed sleeves, had a
wide sash of two shades of pink. Large, handmade roses were on the rustling underskirt
of pink taffeta.
She was escorted to the stage by James Loer, Purdue University senior. There the
silver and rhinestone 500 Festival crown was placed on her head by Mr. Howard W.
Wilcox.
As favors for the evening, each princess received a gold bracelet with a charm of the
Soldiers and Sailors monument against a checkered background, marked "1959 Festival
Princess."
The queens's charm was a gold disk with the same design engraved "1959 500 Festival
Queen."
As an additional, personal gift, Mr. and Mrs. McKinney, who sponsored Annie as their
candidate for queen, added another charm, a ruby trimmed gold crown.
To the music, "Around the World in 80 Days," Queen Ann first danced with Mr. Wilcox.
Then the court of princesses and their escorts joined them on the ballroom floor...and
the Invitational Ball was in full sway.
In attendance among the 1000 guests was the Duchess of Manchester of England and
Kenya, South Africa.
May 29 1959
By Jane Moore Howe
1,000 Guests Open Race Festival at Glittering Governor's Ball
Everybody, yes, everybody, was there last night at the Governor's Reception, dinner
and invitational ball in the Indiana Roof Ballroom.
A thousand guests filled the ballroom to overflowing. There were celebrities, political,
industrial and social leaders and countless out-of-town guests.
Thank goodness there also was air conditioning!
Everything went on schedule, no small accomplishment in that large gathering.
The buffet supper began promptly at 7:30 pm and was served from a large V-shaped
table near the stage.
High point of the evening, of course, was at 9 pm when the first Queen Annie Lawrie,
was crowned.
It was a colorful, impressive ceremony beginning with the presentation of colors by color
guards from the US Armed Services.
To the music of "Just the Way You Look Tonight" played by Tommy Dorsey's orchestra,
each of the 32 princesses entered and was introduced.
Joined by their escorts, they formed a double line down the center of the ballroom. In
their dainty pastel dresses, full-skirted and short, each carrying an old-fashioned
bouquet of red roses and white carnations centered with an orchid, they looked
completely charming.
Then Ann Lawrie entered, carrying a huge sheath of red roses, throwing kisses and
captivating hearts. She walked down the aisle formed by her court.
Her long dress of white silk organza, silk square neckline and tiny puffed sleeves, had a
wide sash of two shades of pink. Large, handmade roses were on the rustling underskirt
of pink taffeta.
She was escorted to the stage by James Loer, Purdue University senior. There the
silver and rhinestone 500 Festival crown was placed on her head by Mr. Howard W.
Wilcox.
As favors for the evening, each princess received a gold bracelet with a charm of the
Soldiers and Sailors monument against a checkered background, marked "1959 Festival
Princess."
The queens's charm was a gold disk with the same design engraved "1959 500 Festival
Queen."
As an additional, personal gift, Mr. and Mrs. McKinney, who sponsored Annie as their
candidate for queen, added another charm, a ruby trimmed gold crown.
To the music, "Around the World in 80 Days," Queen Ann first danced with Mr. Wilcox.
Then the court of princesses and their escorts joined them on the ballroom floor...and
the Invitational Ball was in full sway.
In attendance among the 1000 guests was the Duchess of Manchester of England and
Kenya, South Africa.
Autograph seekers surrounded, and
almost mobbed, Efrem Zimbalist
(second from left) the detective "Stuart
Bailey" of television's "77 Sunset Strip"
when he arrived at the Invitational Ball.
He signed his name with pleasure for
the First Lady of Indiana, Mrs. Harold W.
Handley (left), and Mrs. Joseph W. Barr,
who with her United States Congressman
husband is home from Washington. D.C.
for the weekend. Governor Handley is an
interested on-looker.
almost mobbed, Efrem Zimbalist
(second from left) the detective "Stuart
Bailey" of television's "77 Sunset Strip"
when he arrived at the Invitational Ball.
He signed his name with pleasure for
the First Lady of Indiana, Mrs. Harold W.
Handley (left), and Mrs. Joseph W. Barr,
who with her United States Congressman
husband is home from Washington. D.C.
for the weekend. Governor Handley is an
interested on-looker.
The queen's bounty included a $325 ball gown, a silver bracelet with charms,
a Hamilton watch, a gold bracelet and a weekend at the French Lick-Sheraton
Hotel. Queen Ann said she would share the latter with her mother who would
drop everything to fill in for her at her job at a pediatrician's office when her
duties as queen were required.
a Hamilton watch, a gold bracelet and a weekend at the French Lick-Sheraton
Hotel. Queen Ann said she would share the latter with her mother who would
drop everything to fill in for her at her job at a pediatrician's office when her
duties as queen were required.
Some of the princesses pictured in the newspaper:
Joni Tischer, Ann Brdford, Jean Sinnock, Karen Collings, Anita June Graber, Karen Lemasters
Sherry Easter, Wilma Wheatcraft, Barbara Joan Williams, Marilyn Sue Myers and Ann Lawrie
