The Little Miss Sunbeam Story: Created by well-known children's book illustrator Ellen Segner in the early 1940s, Little Miss Sunbeam was actually drawn from life, based on a little blue-eyed blond girl Ellen saw playing in New York City's Washington Square Park. Based upon these drawings. Ms. Segner developed the original oil painting that became the Sunbeam trademark. Miss Sunbeam on the label has meant freshness and quality to over 3 generations of bread buyers!