Published: November 04, 2009 11:57 pm      

City woman Rosie the Riveter for Cumberland Goes to War event

CUMBERLAND — Jordan Schupfer of Cumberland appears on the Rosie the Riveter poster that promotes this year’s Cumberland Goes to War event.

Schupfer was among the 20 women who modeled as Rosie during a contest held in downtown Cumberland.

Rosie the Riveter became popular during World War II when women joined the work force in support of troops serving overseas. The most well-known Rosie icon came from J. Howard Miller’s We Can Do It! propaganda poster. Created for Westinghouse, the Pittsburgh-based artist’s Rosie appeared on magazines, newspapers and posters encouraging women to join the work force. Six million women replaced the men who left for war in the factories, shipyards and industrial plants.

Michigan factory worker Geraldine Doyle modeled for the poster art in 1942.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with both the number of women who came out on Saturday and posed as Rosie and their terrific representation of her,” Barb Buehl, director of Allegany County Tourism, said of the Cumberland Rosie contest. “The judges had a hard time picking just one Rosie to represent the event. It was not a unanimous decision.”

Schupfer received two tickets to Friday night’s Andrews Sisters tribute show and the Ultimate Abbott & Costello show scheduled Nov. 13.

Photos of all the Rosies can be found on www.cumberlandgoestowar.com and will be posted on the front window of the Downtown Manager’s Office at 10 S. Mechanic St. during Cumberland Goes to War, from Friday through Nov. 15.

Cumberland Goes To War is made possible by the support of the Allegany County Department of Tourism, Canal Place Preservation & Development Authority, Maryland Heritage Area Programs, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, city of Cumberland, Potomac Highlands Airport Authority, the men and women who preserve the history of the 29th Infantry Division, and many generous residents of Allegany County who have shared their memories and family treasures from World War II.