Miss USA 1968

Miss USA 1968, the 17th Miss USA pageant, was televised live by CBS from Miami Beach, Florida on May 18, 1968 hosted by Bob Barker.

Miss USA 1968
Date	May 18, 1968
Presenters	Bob Barker
Venue	Miami Beach, Florida
Broadcaster	CBS, WTVJ
Entrants	51
Placements	15
Winner	Dorothy Anstett Washington
Congeniality	Julia Pinkley Kentucky
Photogenic	Kathy Hebert Louisiana

The pageant was won by Dorothy Anstett of Washington, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Cheryl Patton of Florida. Anstett was the first – and to date only – woman from Washington to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 1968.

Results

Placements

Final results	Contestant
Miss USA 1968	Washington - Dorothy Anstett
1st runner-up	Maryland - Paulette Reck
2nd runner-up	Nevada - Kathy Landry
3rd runner-up	Louisiana - Kathy Hebert
4th runner-up	New Mexico - Bonnie Tafoya
Top 15	Alabama - Claudia Robinson Arkansas - Ann Smithwick California - Suzanne Fromm Connecticut - Janice Shilinsky Hawaii - Carol Seymour Michigan - Virginia Clift New York - June West Ohio - Linda Hoyle Tennessee - Sandra Force Virginia - Laurie Burke

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Kentucky – Julia Pinkley
Miss Photogenic	Louisiana –Kathy Hebert

Historical significance

• Washington wins competition for the first time. Also becoming in the 15th state who does it for the first time.
• Maryland earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time and reaches the highest position since Mary Leona Gage initially won in 1957.
• Nevada earns the 2nd runner-up position for the third time. The last time it placed this was in 1961.
• Louisiana earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time and reaches the highest position since Sharon Brown won in 1961.
• New Mexico earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
• States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Alabama, California, Maryland, Nevada, Tennessee and Virginia.
• California placed for the twelfth consecutive year.
• Maryland and Tennessee placed for the third consecutive year.
• Alabama, Nevada and Virginia made their second consecutive placement.
• Connecticut, Hawaii, New York and Ohio last placed in 1966.
• New Mexico and Michigan last placed in 1965.
• Louisiana last placed in 1961.
• Arkansas last placed in 1959.
• Washington last placed in 1958.
• Florida breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1966.
• Arizona breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1965.
• Texas breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1964.
• District of Columbia breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1962.

Delegates

Alabama - Claudia Robinson Alaska - Sharon Long Arizona - Shirley Sprague Arkansas - Ann Smithwick California - Suzanne Fromm Colorado - Ann Bell Connecticut - Janice Shilinsky Delaware - Diane Parker District of Columbia - Dianne Mothershead Florida - Leslie Bauer Georgia - Midge Ivie Hawaii - Carol Seymour Idaho - Anna Evanson Illinois - Sandra Wolsfeld Indiana - Nikki Peck Iowa - Markie Anderson Kansas - Anne Layton Kentucky - Julia Pinkley Louisiana - Kathy Hebert Maine - Cheryl Campell Maryland - Paulette Reck Massachusetts - Sonia Prince Michigan - Virginia Clift Minnesota - Arlene Larson Mississippi - Brenda Conerly Missouri - Jan Barton

Montana - Christina Baker Nebraska - Linda Dresher Nevada - Kathy Landry New Hampshire - Deborah Steers New Jersey - Linda Papa New Mexico - Bonnie Tafoya New York - June West North Carolina - Kelli Moore North Dakota - Jewel Christensen Ohio - Linda Hoyle Oklahoma - Linda Bertozzi Oregon - Marsha Mayer Pennsylvania - Barbara Verlander Rhode Island - Betty Lou Whitmore South Carolina - Kathryn Knoy South Dakota - Byrean Blacksmith Tennessee - Sandra Force Texas - Jeannie Wilson Utah - Shelley Cannon Vermont - Susan Glynn Virginia - Laurie Burke Washington - Dorothy Anstett West Virginia - Patricia Coyne Wisconsin - Janice Kropps Wyoming - Penny Smathers

External links

• Miss USA official website