Kris Madison, 18, of Lewiston wears her crown in this photo taken in Moscow after she was named Miss University of Idaho in 1959. According to a story published in the March 29, 1959, edition of the Lewiston Tribune, it was the second year in a row that a Lewiston girl was given that honor: the 1958 honor had gone to Anne Marie Berry. Madison was a sophomore majoring in music education when she participated in the March 28 pageant attended by about 500 people in the UI Administration Building auditorium. As a result of her win, she was to be a part of visiting royalty at the Spokane Lilac Festival in May and to be entered into the annual Miss Idaho contest held in June at Boise, according to the story. A 1957 graduate of Lewiston High School, Madison had worked the previous two summers as a paper cutter in the Lewiston mill of Potlatch Forests Inc. Now Kris (Madison) McKarcher and living in Clarkston, she celebrates her 80th birthday this month. This photo was submitted by her daughter-in-law, Traci McKarcher of Clarkston. Readers who would like to share their historical photos from throughout the region may do so by emailing them to blasts@lmtribune.com or submitting them to: Blast from the Past, P.O. Box 957, Lewiston, ID 83501. Questions? Call Jeanne M. DePaul at (208) 848-2221.
