Miss Heating Comfort and the Whale Oil Company

The Whale Oil Company, which sponsored the Miss Heating Comfort contest, said it was looking to award the title to the girl "who makes temperatures rise when she enters a room."

Brooklyn Daily - Feb 10, 1961

Newsday - Oct 22, 1960

So did the Whale Oil Company actually sell whale oil? No, but apparently the name led a lot of people to assume that it did. I haven't been able to find out what became of the company, but I'm guessing that the name must have become an increasing liability with the rise of the "Save the Whales" movement in the late 1960s.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle - Nov 3, 1950

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Posted By: Alex - Sun Nov 19, 2023
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests | Odd Names | Fossil Fuels, Carbon Footprint, and Climate Change | 1960s

Comments

Google Maps shows a Whale Building at 14 53rd Street in Brooklyn. Seems like the only connection to the fuel oil company is the name.

Posted by ges on 11/19/23 at 10:08 AM

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