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Margaret Gorman, Miss Washington DC 1921

Updated Jan 21, 2025
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Margaret Gorman, Miss Washington DC 1921
Margaret Gorman, wearing a bathing suit, in the "Miss Washington D C" pageant.She later won 1st prize beauty at the Atlantic City pageant and was "Miss America 1921". She was the "lightest Miss America at 108 pounds until 1949" - when Miss Arizona, 106 lbs, won.

From missamerica.org: "Margaret, along with other "Inter-City Beauties," arrived in Atlantic City and entered a new event: The "Inter-City Beauty" Contest. Judges and the public both scored the contest - each shared in 50 percent of the final score.

The amateur prize, the Watkins Trophy, was awarded to Margaret Gorman, Miss South Jersey, Kathryn M. Gearon placed second, receiving $100 in gold. A special professional prize, the Endicott Trophy, was awarded to Miss New York, silent film actress Virginia Lee.

An immediate hit with the crowds, the "Inter-City Beauties" were later judged head-to-head against two other "Beauty" winners in selected classes of the now famous Bather's Revue: an "amateur winner" from over two hundred local women and tourists, and a "professional winner," which included a field of eleven professional models and actresses. In this extravagant and much-hyped final event, Margaret Gorman won the Grand Prize: the Golden Mermaid trophy."

She later married Victor Cahill.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, by Bain News Service
Date & Place: in Atlantic City, New Jersey USA
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Leading up to the 4th, we're all thinking "beach" and "picnics". In 1921, it was bathing beauties - like Margaret who was Miss Washington D.C., then Miss America. Isn't she a cutie?
Photo of Hub van den Hurk Hub van den Hurk
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07/02/2018
She had an interesting life.....hoping she had a good marriage
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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07/02/2018
Well, they stayed married until he died in '57 and she didn't remarry - implying that it was good?
AncientFaces , lol, or she learned her lesson the first time out......hopefully her marriage was so good no other man would do 😍
Photo of Lois Stevens-Winn Lois Stevens-Winn
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07/02/2018
Andrea Elizabeth Reser
Photo of Jamie Einkauf Turvey Jamie Einkauf Turvey
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07/03/2018
I love that suit...
Photo of Louie Lou Louie Lou
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07/03/2018
So cute and the socks and shoes are kind of cute too!☺
Photo of Janie Rambo Janie Rambo
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07/03/2018
Adorable !!
Kandy mother
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Margaret (Gorman) Cahill
Margaret (Gorman) Cahill's father was Michael J Gorman and her mother was Margaret C McCarthy. She had siblings John and Mary. When she was 4 years old, Margaret was living with her parents, Michael and Margaret, and Margaret's parents (her grandparents) in Washington, D.C. on Sackett Street. Also in the home were her siblings John and Mary. Her grandfather John McCarthy was a manager on a truck farm and her father Michael worked as a clerk for the federal government. A year before she became the first "Miss America", Margaret was still living in Washington D.C. but no longer with her maternal grandparents. In the house were her father, Michael, mother, Margaret, and siblings John, Elizabeth, William, and Margaret along with Estelle Henson, who was not related. Father Michael was still a clerk, as was Estelle Henson. She won the Miss America title when she was 16 and in high school. At the time, she was only 108 pounds and 5 feet, 1 inch tall. She competed twice more, which was allowed at the time, but never won again. Margaret married Victor Cahill in 1925, remaining married to him until he died in 1957. They didn't have children. She died on October 1, 1995 in Bowie, Maryland at the age of 90. See Margaret (Gorman) Cahill: Obituary
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