Miss USA 1976

Miss USA 1976 was the 25th Miss USA pageant, televised live by CBS from Niagara Falls, New York, on May 15, 1976.

Miss USA 1976
US President Gerald Ford meets with Peterson in 1976
Date	May 15, 1976
Presenters	Bob Barker
Entertainment	Engelbert Humperdinck
Venue	Niagara Falls, New York
Entrants	51
Placements	12
Winner	Barbara Peterson Minnesota
Photogenic	Liz Wickersham Georgia
← 1975 1977 →

The pageant was won by Barbara Peterson of Minnesota, who succeeded outgoing titleholder Summer Bartholomew of California.^[1] Peterson was the first – and to date only – woman from Minnesota to win the Miss USA title, and went on to participate at Miss Universe 1976, where she became the first Miss USA titleholder to fail to advance to the semi-final stage of the pageant.

Results

Final Results	Contestant
Miss USA 1976	Minnesota - Barbara Peterson
1st Runner-Up	Michigan - Kevin Gale[1]
2nd Runner-Up	Oregon - Gail Atchison[1]
3rd Runner-Up	South Carolina - Virginia Murray[1]
4th Runner-Up	Louisiana - Robyn Sanders[1]
Top 12	California - Joan Pennock Georgia - Liz Wickersham Illinois - Kathy Schmalen Missouri - Donna Hibbits New Mexico - Jonelle Bergquist Texas - Mary Gray Washington - Norene Gilbert[1]