The Rose Queen of Tacoma
A grand lawn fete at the Cochran estate features a rose-themed pageant and a battle of the flowers.
The beautiful lawn commanding the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Cochran, on Tacoma avenue, was the scene of a very merry fete on Wednesday evening. Fifty-five bushels of roses were used in the decorations in the house, beside quantities of pinks, pansies, poppies, ivy and ferns. Japanese lanterns were interspersed among the foliage in a telling manner, making the somber green to sparkle and glow with other hues than those of the numberless flowers. Some fascinating musical numbers were rendered by the Troubadour Mandolin Club. An interesting feature of the entertainment consisted of the election of a rose queen, which was achieved by ballot, and resulted in the election of Miss Nellie Claypoel. A battle in which opposing forces pledged to the white and red rose respectively, contested for victory, was another unique and special part of the programme, the victors being the reds, under the captaincy of Mr. Charles Richardson. The whites were led by Mr. E. A. Spalding. The entertainment, which was by the Clover League, called out nearly 300 guests.
“Fifty-five bushels of roses were used in the decorations in the house, beside quantities of pinks, pansies, poppies, ivy and ferns.”
The Cochran estate was a hallmark of Tacoma's Gilded Age social scene, a time when civic identity was built through elaborate garden parties and floral pageants. Today, the site reflects the city's transition from a playground for the elite to a dense urban center, though the tradition of the 'Rose Queen' persists in various regional festivals across the Pacific Northwest.
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