Who was the first Nebraska native to be crowed Miss America? No, it was not Teresa Scanlan who was recently crowned Miss America. There was actually another Miss America with Nebraska ties. Sharon Kay Ritchie, Miss America 1956, was born in McCook, Nebraska, and grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska. After High School, she attended Colorado Women’s College. While there, she won the Miss Colorado pageant, and represented Colorado in the Miss America pageant.
Here are a few advertisements featuring Sharon.
This Camay ad appeared in the February 1956 McCall's Magazine.
Sharon advertises the Philco "Miss America" television console, with an early model remote control
-Laura Mooney, Museum Registrar
