1920
In the summer of 1920, the businessmen of
Atlantic City decided to host a festival called
the “Fall Frolic” hoping that it would increase
tourism past Labor Day weekend. The event
would include a rolling chair parade on the
famous Boardwalk.
1921
Then in 1921, the city’s newspapers were looking for ways to increase circulation and tourism. They came up with a photographic popularity contest with the winners receiving an all-expense paid trip to the “Second Annual Atlantic City Fall Frolic.”
Once the girls arrived, they would be placed in a beauty contest where the judging would be based upon their appearance, personality, conversation with the judges, and interaction with the crowds. This was the “Golden
Mermaid Trophy” which would be come known as the Miss America Pageant. Margaret Gorman won due to her all-American wholesome good looks.
John P. Green was a decorator in Atlantic City and he built the first Miss America Pageant parade floats for the Boardwalk Parade.
1947
John really enjoyed the floats and parades. It was both creative and very satisfying to make people smile and forget their cares for a time. With the onset of the depression which caused a disruption in the Miss America Pageant and Atlantic City’s limited climate for parades, John and his wife, Mary, decided to move the family to sunny Southern California where he could follow his dream.
They arrived in Long Beach and opened up the John P. Green Parade Float Company in a small warehouse on 4th Street.
1960's
John Perry Green Float Company continued to grow throughout the 1960’s and John and Mary moved their business to a larger warehouse in Garden Grove, CA. Business was going very well when suddenly in the mid-60’s the company had to endure tragedy. John suffered a fatal heart attack at the Anaheim Halloween Parade. It was a great shock to the family as well as to the community.
While Mary recovered, their daughter, Barbara took over management. Her son, John Hart, pictured below left, grew up in the business. He and his grandfather were very close and it had been his grandfather’s hope that he would one day take over Green Float Company one day.
Mary soon returned to the business which became known as the top parade float company of its kind on the west coast. Their floats were featured througout all of California, Portland, Las Vegas and Denver.
1970's
By the 1970’s John was more involved in the family business. He drove floats, assisted in the building of floats and managed the floats at the parades. Three generations were now fulfilling the dream of John Perry Green.
In 1976, the year of the Bicentennial of the USA, John married Wendy Meyers. She was a creative natural and began to assert her talents to the design side of the business.
Barbara and Harry decided to retire from the business in 1979 and moved to northern California where they could follow a dream of their own, but Mary remained involved in the business with John and Wendy.
1980's
Soon Green Float Company began to be called into the motion picture industry. Their floats were featured in “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,” and “Little Nikita” as well as a Midas Muffler commercial. As the company grew, so did the Hart Family adding John Jr., Christopher and Little Wendy to the family business. A special room was set up at the shop so that the children could be with their parents as much as possible. Mary retired and then passed away in 1987 to be with her beloved John.
In addition to parade floats, Green Float Company annually designed and built city booths for the Orange County Fair which highlighted each city’s unique attrributes. And throughout the years. Caesar Palace would employ them to create decorations for their ballrooms.
1990's
The Lions International Convention was being held in Phoenix Arizona in August of 1994. The Lions’ International Office in Japan contracted Green Float Company to create 2 -70 foot floats depicting their Japanese heritage. The North Carolina Lions’ Office also, contracted them to create a float featuring the state flower, the Dogwood, and their state queen. Both floats were featured in a special Lions’ Internation Parade.
Once again, the call came from the motion picture industry to feature floats in the movie, “Showdown in Little Tokyo” with Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee. The beverage, Snapple, was coming into vogue and director, Spike Lee, and his compan, “40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks” enlisted Green Float Company for the commercial.
Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Rocket City, Huntsville, Alabama, contacted Green Float Company to design and build floats for the International Space Station Celebration in Huntsville. John transported all the floats by train and while there, he got the royal treatment and toured the NASA facilites including Space Camp and received many souvenirs.
2000's
On September 11th, 2001 the country was devastated by the senseless tragedies at the New York Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the field in Penssylvania. Many events nationwide were cancelled for fear of another attack. The Hollywood Christmas Parade debated back and forth. Finally it was decided that the event would go as scheduled, but participation was slow in coming. No floats had entered so Green Float Company entered the parade at their own expense and presented a very patriotic float entitled “God Bless America.” The floay sponsored the USMC and their TOYS FOR TOTS Program and featured Michelle Trachtenberg as the celebraity. The Hart family road the float along with the choir, “Therapy” who sang “God Bless America” along the parade route. It was an extremely moving experience as the crowd stood and, with hands over their hearts, sang the song and cheered the float. A truly awesome experience.
The family was growing up and becoming more involved in the company as time marched on. It was truly a family affair. John Sr. was always in front, meeting with the clients and constructing the floats Wendy would design. John Jr., Chris and Wendy helped at the parades by driving, reassembling the floats or making sure the floats were parade ready.
John Jr. brought another layer to the company. He graduated as a chef from le Cordon Bleu Culinary Insitute In las Vegas, Nevada. He trained his family to assist and now catering was something offered. …retirement parties, weddings, quineaneras and reunions …many featured their tasty meals and appetizers.
Adding to their decorating repertoire, Green Float Company began decorating church santuaries and designing receptions for weddings and quinceaneras.
The family began to grow. John married Kendra Anderson and the following year Chris married Bryn Rathe. The girls, also, worked the parades when able.
2010's
In 2011, Green Float Company endured another tragedy. John suffered a massive heart attack just hours after his doctor appointment and was pronounced dead at the hospital. It was an absolute shock. But the Hart kids pulled it together for their mom and the memory of their dad and handled business. They were a perfect example of strength and fortitude and the bond of family.
Wendy has continued to design and lead her family. A few years later and by chance, she came across Doug Hagen, a friend from high school, and they later married. The entire family is involved in Green Float Company and enjoys working together designing and building beautiful floats that make people smile and forget their cares if for only a little while.
Pictured left to right: Kendra and John, Wendy Jr., Chris and Bryn and Doug and Wendy in front.
Give Us A Call Today...714-525-9494
Email: Wendy@GreenFloatCompany.com
GREEN FLOAT COMPANY
Located In Southern California
714-525-9494