Miss America Contestant Regrets Everything After She Wins, Then She Vanished

There she is! Miss America! Wait. She isn't here? Where could she be? That was the major question at the 1937 Miss America pageant when the woman of the hour mysteriously disappeared. No one was sure if she vanished on her own accord, or was the victim of nefarious circumstances. But when the truth finally came out, it was the biggest scandal to ever hit the pageant world.

Amusement Park Trip

Bette Cooper was only involved in the pageant by happenstance. When the 17-year-old left her house in Hackettstown, New Jersey, on a fateful summer day in 1937 for Bertrand Island Amusement Park, she could only think about how much fun she was going to have.

Miss Bertrand Island

While walking around the park, Bette and her friends spotted a sign calling for contestants for the “Miss Bertrand Island” beauty pageant, happening that day. Thinking, what the heck, Bette signed up to compete.

Unlikely Winner

It was all supposed to be for laughs, but low and behold, Better Cooper was a natural! She surprised everyone, including herself, by winning the title. Though there was a bit of a snag, another prize beyond bragging rights, that made her stomach drop.

Miss America

As Miss Bertram Island, Bette Cooper was automatically entered into another contest that was way more competitive — the Miss America pageant. It was too late to turn back now, and she still had to break the news to her parents.