Enumclaw’s dairy farms have been a significant part of the local economy since the early 1900s when George Bruhn helped local farmers organize the Enumclaw Co-operative Creamery located on First Street in downtown Enumclaw. The Co-op closed in 1951 due to increased operating costs that forced Enumclaw’s farmers to ship milk to large processors such as Darigold and Carnation. By 1961, when this photo was taken, the local dairy industry was still strong as a number of young ladies, some from Enumclaw competed to become King County Dairy Princess.
The Washington State Dairy Princess Contest was started in 1955 to help promote the dairy industry in Washington. Washington is home to almost 400 dairies with nearly 275,000 cows, primarily in the Northwestern and Central parts of the state. The state is a national leader when it comes to milk yields due to highly productive cows. Though Enumclaw’s dairy scene has shrunk, the area is still home to ten dairy farms defined as having about 500 cows and is the sole or primary source of income to the family. The State contest was discontinued in 2019 but can still be found locally in a few Washington counties.
The 1961 candidates for King County Dairy Princess came from Auburn, Carnation, Enumclaw, Kent, and Renton and were photographed in front of Enumclaw City Hall in late May. Though 16 vied for the honor only 14 were available for this picture. The girl’s names from left to right are, front row: La Vena Cavanaugh; Diane Smith; Carolyn Font; Marsha Monstad; Linda Noll; back row: Ellen Child; Sharon Calvert; Janice Rosen; Sandi Vincent; Carol Sorensen; Jannett Breimer; Sandra Tibeau; Diane Norkool; and Betty Streuli, the 18-year-old from Renton, Washington who went on to win. Mary Warner and Suzanne Hall were not available for the picture.
This photo appeared in the June 1, 1961 issue of the Enumclaw Courier-Herald under the caption “Cream of the Crop.” This Washington Rural Heritage photo EPL0017-561-3a comes courtesy of the Schlotfeldt-Pioneer Special Collection and the Courier-Herald
