2023.10.387

For over 50 years, the Saugatuck Pavilion was a center of entertainment for young and old. One of the annual events in the early 1930s was a Costume Party and contest, with cash prizes for the winners. In 1933, four young girls, two locals and two summer people were a part of the competition. The oldest, Phyllis Pamperien, a college sophomore, designed and sewed the costumes, which consisted of a milk maid outfit and a cow suit. Local teens Betty and Vivian Powers, and Elizabeth Pamperien, sister of Phyllis, were the contestants. Vivian, a beauty who was to be the 1937 Blossom Queen, was the milk maid, while Betty and Elizabeth did their duty the inside of the cow. Betty (Powers) Strampel Dorr and Phyllis (Pamperien) Yoder have both passed on, but Vivian (Powers) Chambers of Grand Rapids, and Elizabeth (Pamperien) Schultz, of Arlington Heights, IL, are still with us. Vivian recalls that the winning prize, "was supposed to be $15, but somebody goofed, and we only received $7." The cash was divided four ways between the girls. The moral of this tale, says Elizabeth, is that even if your sister makes the costume, you can still end up being the rear end of a cow.

1909 Big Pavilion -1960

Winthers, Sally

01/10/2024

01/13/2024