From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
Algoma Dairy Princess might not seem like your usual contest. However, in 1971, Carol Hill was named Algoma’s Dairy Princess. She was 17 years old when she was crowned.
Carol was born in Prince Township to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Hill, but the family moved to Thessalon to operate a 600-acre dairy farm when she was 12 years old.
“I like milking cows, but since I have four older brothers, my main job is in the house working with the finished products like milk and butter," Carol told the Sault Star in a 1971 article. "I only milk cows during the busy harvest season.”
In August of 1971, Carol Hill travelled to Toronto to compete with other Dairy Princesses for the Ontario title. She managed to reach the semifinals of the competition but was eliminated.
Carol would go on to win Dairy Queen of the North Shore in September 1971. To win the title, she needed to demonstrate how to milk a cow, give a three-minute speech, and complete an interview with three judges. In November of that same year, Carol was named Agriculture Queen. The competition was sponsored by the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Sault Ste. Marie, with the winner receiving the Steel City Motor trophy.
Carol Hill would go on to compete for the Ontario Dairy Princess title again in 1972 after winning Algoma Dairy Princess for a second year in a row.
In 1973, at the age of 19, Carol was selected to represent her district at a United Nations trip. She would join 40 other students, who ranged in age from 18 to 26 years old, with the trip being sponsored by the Women’s Institute. Carol Hill was a young woman who was a dedicated representative for her hometown and her family’s business of agriculture and dairy.
Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.