54 years ago on the Gainesville square ...

This was the scene on the Gainesville square on an October night 54 years ago when Pam Carter (Hutchinson), 16, was crowned as the first Hootin an Hollarin queen in 1964. The Oct. 8, 1964, edition of the Ozark County Times reported that the queen had already been chosen when the 10 “hostesses” gathered on Thursday night of Hootin an Hollarin for the ceremony, but her name would only be revealed when a sealed envelope was opened and the winner’s name was announced. The queen is being crowned by Joe Jessup “Cedar Pete,” pictured to the right of Pam Carter, and Ed Petterson, the man who named Hootin an Hollarin and illustrated the first Cedar Pete drawing, who is pictured to her left. The other hostesses, selected by three out-of-town judges at a previous pageant held at Gainesville High School, were, from left: Edith Casey, Mary Robbins (Kyle), Patricia Hambelton (Jarman), Sue Clark, Janice Duggins, Sally Taylor, Linda Winton (Wallace), Jan Shanks (Miller) and Faunlee Breeding (Harle). Pamela had been selected as queen by TV celebrity Bob Barker, who chose her from photos of all the 10 hostesses that were sent to him after the first pageant. His choice was enclosed in the envelope that was opened on the first night of Hootin an Hollarin 1964. This year’s Hootin an Hollarin will be held Sept. 20-22. The queen pageant begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423