Miss America’s visit to Palace Furniture

The photos I am sharing today belong to Ralph Murphy’s slide collection, which my husband received from his Aunt Jean in 2012. This extensive collection comprises 15 boxes of slides, totaling thousands, all captured by Uncle Ralph. These images span the years from 1947 to 1984. Among them are scenic shots from their travels across the United States, glimpses of family members, and candid moments with friends and co-workers. I digitized most of these slides several years ago, and they continue to bring me joy.

This group of photos was found in Box 10 of Ralph’s archives. Unfortunately, the index for that box, spanning October 1960 to April 1961, offered few details about the photos. Yet, Ralph or Jean had written “November 5, 1960” on each slide. As I examined the images, two additional clues emerged. First, a flyer resting in the young woman’s lap displayed the image of a television. The second clue was the familiar face of a gentleman captured during the Palace Furniture 50th anniversary celebration. Click here to view photos taken by Ralph at that event. Armed with three crucial clues, I contacted Beth at the Clarksburg History Museum, inquiring whether Palace Furniture had ever crowned or hosted a queen on that specific date. Once again, Beth consulted with Pete, who was confident that the woman in question was likely one of their Miss West Virginias. That suggestion led me to a flurry of Google searches. Although Pete’s initial assumption proved incorrect, it served as the final piece of the puzzle: the lovely woman gracing these photos was Nancy Anne Fleming, the crowned Miss America 1961.

Nancy Fleming, a recent high school graduate, held the title of Miss Michigan in 1960. Following her crowning as Miss America in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 10, 1960, she embarked on a whirlwind year of speaking engagements, advocacy work, charitable causes, television appearances, parades, and local events, including a visit to Palace Furniture on November 5. After her reign ended, she pursued higher education at Michigan State University. Nancy worked as an elementary school teacher, before transitioning into the entertainment industry, where she met her second husband, Jim Lange, former host of The Dating Game.

As mentioned above, I recognized the gentleman in the next image from the Palace Furniture 50th anniversary celebration photos.

I recently revisited several boxes of slides, searching for clues left behind by Ralph and Jean. To my surprise, I found that Ralph had taken screenshots from the televised Miss America pageant. This discovery leads me to believe that a Miss America visit to Palace Furniture was pre-arranged before the show’s airing, regardless of the winner. Despite the poor image quality, it is evident that the captured images are indeed of Miss Fleming. If only I had paid closer attention during my initial slide scanning—I might have made this connection sooner. 

Palace Furniture Company, once hailed as “northern West Virginia’s largest furniture store,” specialized in selling a diverse range of furniture styles, including modern, colonial, and 18th century pieces. Situated in downtown Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia. the Palace Furniture building, at 168 West Main Street has a rich history. Originally erected as a three-story structure in 1911, it underwent significant expansion in 1921, gaining an additional four stories. This transformation elevated it to a substantial and historically significant landmark. 

Today, this iconic building has been repurposed to offer affordable housing for individuals aged 55 and older. Jean, who dedicated 45 years to her role as a bookkeeper at Palace Furniture, and Ralph, who actively participated in various events and captured moments through his lens, are part of the building’s enduring legacy.

The Palace Furniture Building in downtown Clarksburg, West Virginia.
Photographer: Carol M. Highsmith via Library of Congress;
copyright free access.

The Clarksburg History Museum displays two significant artifacts related to Palace Furniture. The first is a commemorative plate celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary, while the second artifact celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Photos used with permission of the
Clarksburg History Museum

I hope you enjoyed these photos from Ralph’s archives. To see others from his collection, click here. 

References

• Champion, Brandon, 55 Years After Miss America Crown, Muskegon County Native Still Taking Risks, Michigan Live, June 20, 2015; https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2015/06/55_years_after_unexpected_miss.html.
• Clarksburg City Directory, Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, 1957.
• Muriel ‘Jean’ Dudley Murphy of Bridgeport dies at age 102, The Exponent Telegram, Clarksburg, West Virginia, January 12, 2024.
• Nancy Fleming; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Fleming.
• Palace Furniture Building: 168 West Main Street, Historical Marker Database; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=185414. 
• The Palace Furniture Building in downtown Clarksburg, West Virginia. Photographer: Carol M. Highsmith via Library of Congress; copyright free access, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/highsm/item/2015631616/.