1914 Raisin Queen contest generated heat

For The Madera Tribune

Lena Northern, second from the left, was voted Madera Raisin Queen two years before this photo was taken.

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Maderans in the early part of the 20th century weren’t completely preoccupied with politics; after all there was going to be a contest to choose some local high school girl to represent Madera in the California Raisin Day Celebration in Fresno.

April 30, 1914 was set as the day for pulling out the stops and raising three cheers for raisins. Although the celebration would be held in Fresno, Madera would have its day in the sun. It would choose a young lady who would ride on the San Joaquin Counties float as the Raisin Queen of Madera.

Selecting a Raisin Queen for Madera was not an easy task. W.C. Maloy, the secretary of the Madera County Chamber of Commerce, was reported to have been “in a quandary.” According to the local newspaper, he had been “chosen to select some beautiful Madera woman to grace the float… but did not know how to go about it.” The sympathetic paper noted that this was a “really mean thing to do.” Maloy put out the word that he was anxiously seeking suggestions on the selection process.