Agnes Leonard – Miss Coney Island 1924

Love those 1920s bathing suits.

Though undated, our photograph is from July 29, 1924, at Steeplechase Park. Miss Coney Island would go on to represent the neighborhood in the Miss America Pageant. This was before each state had just one representative. New York sent 13 local winners to Atlantic City. They came from Greater New York, Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, Yonkers, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown and Bay Ridge!

Many states had no representation.

The news slug reads

Two Of A Kind – Meet the “Misses Coney Island” – two real beauties who captured the decision of the judges and the crowds at the New York amusement beach in the selection of representatives in the Atlantic City September pageant. Armand T Nichols, Director General of the Atlantic City frolic is shown congratulating Miss Agnes Leonard, school teacher entry of this year’s festival. Miss Walker, who was a runner for the top honors in the Pageant Beauty Tourney of 1923 was also on hand to extend her felicitations. photo – Publicity Department of the Atlantic City Pageant.

Miss Walker is Heather Eulalie Walker and was the second runner up to Mary Katherine Campbell. Campbell won the Miss America title two years in a row 1922 and 1923. Amazingly Campbell was also the first runner up in the 1924 contest! The rules were later changed in 1925 so that you could only enter the contest one time.

Miss America 1924 was Miss Philadelphia, Ruth Malcolmson. Unfortunately for Agnes Leonard she was not one of the 15 finalists. What became of Miss Leonard after the contest is unknown.