Get ready to whisk yourself away to a time when Chehalis turned breakfast into a blockbuster event! The year was 1931, and with the Great Depression in full swing, the community refused to let the hard times poach their spirit, so they hatched a plan to scramble up a record-breaking omelet in a sizzling celebration of steadfast solidarity. With an oversized frying pan as their stage, over 10,000 locals gathered at Alexander Park for the egg-stravaganza during the Lewis County Farmers and Merchants Picnic, with this breakfast of truly epic proportions proving that even the bleakest days could be flipped into something sunny-side-up!
Chehalis Fried Up a Plan and It Involved a Big Pan
Chehalis had already captured national attention three years earlier with its record-breaking 16-foot strawberry shortcake being unveiled during the 1928 Merchants Picnic, with the culinary marvel turned edible spectacle feeding some 4,000 attendees. Motivated by the previous event’s success and egged on by the influence of Seattle Times cameraman James Dwyer, the town set its sights on an even grander egg-speriment to dominate headlines.
Still, the economic realities of the Great Depression fueled the need for inventive ways to draw attention and support local commerce. Given Lewis County’s thriving chicken farming community, an egg-centric endeavor seemed a natural fit. Initially, the plan was to boil 10,000 eggs but the idea was received as too bland, unlikely to generate the widespread publicity the town was aiming for. Thus, it was determined that cooking a massive omelet was the far more exciting and visually impressive solution.
Chehalis Gathers All the Ingredients for a Record-Breaking Omelet
To cook a 10,000 egg omelet, Chehalis needed a pan as big as its ambition, yet an eight-food-wide skillet wasn’t exactly a common household item. Undeterred, the town commissioned the help of Seattle’s F. S. Lang Stove Works to build a custom frying pan so enormous it weighed nearly half a ton. It was then shipped to Chehalis by truck, but not without first starring in a heated photo op of local Seattle women dancing a tango atop it; the striking images would later captivate audiences in newspapers and magazines across the country.
When the morning of July 24, 1931, arrived, the anticipation mirrored the pan’s scale, which had already been put on display a week prior in preparation for the day’s festivities. Approximately 10,000 would attend what would become an annual picnic for Alexander Park, making it a record crowd for a summertime event.
Rise and Shine, It’s Breakfast Time
The day’s festivities with a flurry of shell-shattering action in the form of an egg-cracking contest. Nineteen women went head to head as they raced to see who could crack a caseload of 30 dozen eggs the fastest while also maintaining shell-free yolks. In a dazzling display of speed and precision, Mrs. Al Blair emerged as the champion, completing the challenge in a mere 12 minutes.
Following this egg-citing start, the spotlight shifted to the preparation of the giant frying pan that would require equal parts ingenuity and absurdity. The memorable method involved Thora Yeager, who volunteered for the task of greasing the massive skillet by strapping substantial slabs of bacon to her feet. With remarkable balance, she skated across the pan, using one of the large wooden spatulas as an aid, creating a captivating scene for the numerous reporters and newsreel cameras present as her performance became one of the most photographed events of the day.
Crowning the Queen of Egg Land
With Yeager’s task complete and the giant pan now blazing on its 3,000 brick open-air stove, the focus shifted to the regal proceedings with the coronation of the “Principality of Egg Land” Queen. The honor went to Shirley Brown of Winlock, who was officially crowned by Governor Hartley himself. Attending the court of her royal highness were representations that embodied vital elements of the community: Ruth Miller for “Climate,” Margaret Limmer for “People — Patriotic, Intelligent, and Loyal,” Eleanor Sarvela for “Co-Operation,” and Alma Hansen for “Fertile Soil.”
As the royal celebration concluded, the focus shifted to the culinary show. Northern Pacific Railroad chefs L. C. Otter, J. E. Lloyd, and Owen Warring sprang into action, expertly melding 7,200 eggs with ten gallons of milk and seasoning the mixture with oversized salt and pepper shakers. In a humorous twist of community spirit, Governor Hartley even donned a chef’s hat and joined in the stirring. Though the original plan called for 10,000 eggs, the resulting omelet was colossal enough to feed the record crowd—and its completion was triumphantly announced via a brand-new loudspeaker system.
Fowl Play and Fun at Chehalis’ Record-Breaking Omelet Celebration
After the massive omelet and copious cups of free coffee had satisfied every appetite, the festivities swung into high gear with a series of playful competitions. Instead of lengthy speeches, the organizers encouraged everyone to join in the fun or cheer from the sidelines. In a historic first, Chehalis businessmen—led by former Washington State University athlete Clarence “Digger” Boone—triumphed in a heated tug-of-war against local farmers, while the plow polo contest, fought with clumsy plow horses and broomstick “clubs,” delighted onlookers.
Other eccentric contests soon followed: a pie-eating contest, a greased-pig race, a spirited husband-calling competition, rolling-pin throwing competitions, swimming matches, and various races. Adding extra flair to the day, Governor Hartley released the Sperry Flour Company’s six homing pigeons that soared around the park before flying off to their Tacoma home. As if that weren’t enough, approximately 7,000 ice cream dishes, 120 gallons of coffee, and 4,000 gallons of lemonade were distributed to the crowd, further adding to the fanfare. After the event, the gigantic frying pan toured around, including at a feature at the Peacock Theater, where Universal Pictures screened movie reels of the day’s events that are still preserved for viewing today.
Now That’s How You Crack an Egg
The giant omelet proved to be a recipe for success for Chehalis, with the Chamber of Commerce estimating that the free publicity it got in publications resulted in 75,000 inches, or approximately $15,000 worth, of advertising that showcased the region’s poultry and egg production to the rest of the nation. Later that year, the celebrated frying pan was showcased at the Puyallup Fair for all to see.
The legacy of that epic breakfast lived on for years. Chehalis revisited the giant omelet concept in 1935 at their 20th annual picnic, creating a large cheese omelet with 6,000 local eggs, 250 pounds of Darigold cheese, and other local ingredients, all prepared with the help of Northern Pacific Railway chefs and local assistants.
The story of the oversized skillet took another turn in 1940 when it was loaned to Long Beach for their first Razor Clam Festival, where it was used to cook a massive clam fritter. This inspired Long Beach to forge its own, even larger pan in 1941, which became a significant tourist attraction for several years. In the end, the giant omelet in Chehalis proved to be more than just a meal – it was a recipe for success that turned a humble breakfast into a bold statement of resilience, creativity, and collective spirit.
