A promotion photo of the 1955 Alice in Dairyland, Barbara Brown, in front of the Town Hall Dairy Co-op west of Monticello. Photo courtesy of Tesse Bernet.

In 1948, “Alice” was a beauty queen fresh out of high school. Today, she is public relations professional with at least four years of experience or education in agriculture, public relations, communications, or related fields. 

The selection criterion that first year was simply ‘beauty and health, general personality, and ability to present herself and her message before large groups.’ By the late 1950s, the selection process began in May and culminated in August. Four “Alice princesses” were named in June, and they spent the next two months in a constant job audition until Alice was named in August.

Over the years, Alice in Dairyland has grown to adapt to the changing face of agriculture and the contemporary world. Even so, she remains a unique custodian of Wisconsin’s proud agricultural tradition and dynamic voice for agriculture’s future. 

For more information, visit www.monticellohistoricalsociety.org.