New Type Fire Hydrant featuring Susan Arnell, the reigning Miss Foster City

This archival record from the Foster City Historical Society highlights a unique promotional campaign from 1964 featuring Susan Arnell, the reigning Miss Foster City. In a series of vintage photographs and articles, Arnell is seen modeling a fire helmet while perched on a modernized fire hydrant to showcase the city's new infrastructure. The campaign cleverly marketed these innovative utilities as being so ergonomic they could double as seating for bus commuters. Beyond public works, the text connects Arnell to her role at "The Captain’s House," a local model home and sales office used to attract residents to the area's waterfront developments. Ultimately, the source serves as a nostalgic look at how mid-century civic pride and creative advertising were used to promote the early growth of Foster City.