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Did you know that St. Landry Parish had three beauties that held the title of Miss Louisiana? Yes, and two of them were from Opelousas. One held the title twice, and one was the very first Miss Louisiana. Let’s talk about that.

Over the last century there were three young women from St. Landry Parish that represented our state as Miss Louisiana – Mildred Kingsbury in 1931, Jeanne Vaughn Thompson in 1951 and again in 1952 (the only one to hold the title twice), and Patricia Dupre in 1969. The 1931 Miss Louisiana, Mildred Kingsbury, was the very first to hold that title in the state’s history.

The daughter of  Harry F. and Hilda Bowry Kingsbury, Mildred was born on May 6, 1908. She moved to Opelousas from Elmira, NY with her parents, a brother and a sister in about 1915 when her father was employed by the St. Landry Clarion newspaper as the advertising manager. She attended elementary school and high school in Opelousas, graduating from OHS in 1927.

From an early age Mildred, who was known as an Opelousas beauty, displayed her talents in the field of entertainment. She was involved in dance, giving performances for school and community functions. She was a member of the Thespian group preforming in a number of school and local theater productions. In September of 1927 she was a member of the cast for the play entitles, “A Little Clodhopper,” presented at the Opelousas High School auditorium. She was a model for many of the Opelousas department stores during the remainder of the 1920s and into the 1930s.

In a beauty contest held at the Opelousas Elementary School auditorium on Thursday, May 14, 1931, twenty-three-year-old Mildred Kingsbury won the title of Miss St. Landry Parish. Miss Irma Belle Poche was the runner up in that contest. Mildred, who was sponsored by Congressman Henry Larcade, Jr., represented the parish in the Miss Louisiana Contest held in New Orleans on June 3, 1931. She won the title of Miss Louisiana. At that same event, Miss Dorothy Lambour (later became the actress Dorothy Lamour) won the title as Miss New Orleans.

For her win as Miss Louisiana, Mildred received an $800 wardrobe, a trophy, and was pictured with Miss Lambour (Miss New Orleans) in New Orleans newspapers. They were wined and dined by New Orleans stores. The two young beauty queens became instant friends, a relationship that continued for many years.

On Friday, June 12, 1931 Mildred and Dorothy boarded a special train to Galveston, Texas to compete in the Miss America and the Miss Universe Contests, held the following two days. At the Miss America contest, Mildred was eliminated, but Dorothy was chosen as first runner up to Anne Lee Patterson (Miss Northern Kentucky), who won the title as Miss America. The winner of the Miss Universe Contest that followed was Miss Belgium, Netta Duchâteau. Dorothy Lambour accepted a movie contract following that contest and went on to became Dorothy Lamour, a popular movie queen.

When she returned to Opelousas following the Miss America contest in Galveston, Mildred made a number of appearances as Miss Louisiana in area towns and other cities across the state.  She signed a contract with Paul English in July to do dancing acts for his shows. She appeared with his group for the first time at the Steeple Theater in Monroe, La on July 23-24, 1931.

Mildred was featured as Miss Louisiana 1931 for the next year in three different road shows — with The Paul English Show, the Ches Davis Musical Show, and The Law of Nature Show. In 1932 she was offered a movie contract, but turned it down and instead married Gantt Nicholson, Jr. of Washington. The couple was married in Mexico. At that time they were both entertainers in the Law of Nature Show. A few years later, Gantt and Mildred settled in Washington, LA. They eventually owned the home on Main Street that is today known as the Nicholson House of History.

Besides her many other talents, Miss Mildred was an accomplished horsewoman who won a number of statewide awards. Many today still remember her riding her beautiful horse with the silver saddle in local and area festival parades, like the Yambilee. She was always carrying the American flag.   

Miss Mildred died peacefully at her home in Washington on Sunday, May 27, 2001. She is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mildred Kingsbury Nicholson was known for her beauty and charm. But she was much more to her family and her friends in the Opelousas and Washington communities. She was involved in civic and parish events and activities, and lived a life filled with adventure and excitement. She was loved by all who knew her. Although she left us almost two decades ago, the memory of our first Miss Louisiana will live on.

Let’s talk Opelousas again.

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