The Ballad of the World’s Largest Artichoke

— And the Artichoke Queen

 

There is nothing quite like seeing the World’s Largest Artichoke — particularly if it’s a world-renowned Golden Globe variety. 

The Artichoke Center

In 1931, Castroville erected a sign over Main Street, proclaiming itself to be the Artichoke Center of the World. It was presumptuous, given the importance of artichokes in Italy and other countries. However, the giant artichoke probably would never have been made without that claim.

At the same time, it is hard to imagine what would have happened if a young woman had not accepted the title Miss Artichoke.

No, I am not thinking about that other person who became a star. In 1940, Linda Del Chiaro went to San Francisco and bought a white satin gown to ride down Main Street in a float of artichokes. Linda was born for the role. Her father, Amerigo Del Chiaro, started in San Francisco but eventually found the perfect weather in Castroville. In 1923, he leased 100 acres, and the company flourished. Amerigo joined otherpartners to form the California Artichoke and Vegetable Growers. It seemed natural to represent artichokes during a rodeo parade. Indeed, Linda eventually married a rodeo performer.^[1]Some give the credit for Castroville artichokes to cousin Angelo del Chiaro. At least the honor should be shared.

Marilyn Promotes Artichokes

The artichoke had finally been given its due, but the next representative really set it apart. In 1948, another young woman was given the title. Marilyn Monroe had only recently changed her professional name and was an up-and-coming star who wanted to make a name for herself. Given that her role in the Marx Brothers’ Love Happy only paid $100 a week, the money she was offered probably helped.^[2]Accounts differ about whether she was still known as Norma Jean, but Marilyn began using her stage name in 1946.

Carlyle’s Jewelers from Salinas wanted to promote its diamond sale and decided to award the Miss Artichoke title as part of their festivities. The first person they chose declined the job, but Marilyn was available. She had been in a few small (mostly uncredited) roles, and the town embraced her as a star.

Marilyn had been sunburned in Palm Springs, and her nose was still peeling.
Still, she showed up and attended a luncheon meeting of the Salinas Kiwanis Club. The club introduced her to its signature crop and pinned an orchid to her, with a sash proclaiming Marilyn as the Artichoke Queen.

That evening, Monroe was treated to a sermon about the spiritual life of Abe Lincoln, a favorite historical figure. The wife of a restaurant owner recalled that her two-year-old son played on Marilyn’s lap that evening.

The next day she went to the jewelers where she signed autographs as a record number of diamonds were sold.

The Festival

Castroville finally got around to starting the Artichoke Festival in 1959, where they chose the first official queen. Marilyn, however, continued to be remembered.

In 1987, Franco’s Norma Jean’s club started an annual Monroe look alike contest — men were known to enter but I do not know if any won.

A few years later, the women were brought to San Francisco and costumed to resemble Marilyn in her role in The Seven Year Itch. All wore blonde wigs and white satin dresses. One attempted to duplicate the famous scene when a gust of air raises the star’s dress, others circulated through the lunchtime crowd to distribute artificial artichoke leaves 

In 1988, the festival printed a poster called Artichoke Woman by photographer Sue Bennet. The model said that she was trying to emulate Monroe, but the Commission on the Status of Women objected. Bennet responded that “the artichoke is probably the most feminist vegetable ever.”

The festival eventually moved to the county fairgrounds but could not recover after Covid shut it down. It permanently closed in 2025 due to financial issues.^[3]I don’t want to imply that Castroville’s claim went unchallenged. Neighboring Pescadero started a short lived festival in 1977.  Towns in Italy, Sicily, and Spain have their own claims to … Continue reading

The World’s Largest Artichoke

The Giant Artichoke was constructed in 1966 and built by Luis Bertelli who owned a manufacturing company. According to an entry in Roadside America, this is the second one to be built here. “The first one was struck by a drunk driver, rolled downtown, and ended up somewhere in the slough.” I was not aware of it at the time, but my geocaching log contemplated such a disaster.

It is important to note that even though Marilyn might never have stepped foot in Castroville, both Roadside America and Atlas Obscura link her visit to this monument. The Atlas, however provides the best description:

Erected at the front of a fruit and vegetable stand-cum-restaurant (aptly called “Giant Artichoke”) is a 20-foot tall, 12-foot wide concrete version of nature’s green wonder. Tourists pull over to take pictures with it before wandering inside for what is rumored to be pretty decent food. Passersby would be forgiven for thinking this were a mere marketing ploy on behalf of the establishment in whose parking lot the huge artichoke stands, were it not for the fact that its tumescence goes part-and-parcel with Castroville’s rank as “Artichoke Center of the World.”

How much more needs to be said about a large Artichoke? But is this the biggest? The town plaza of Cerda, Sicily features an artichoke created in 1987 by sculptor Dino Pantano. It reaches 23 feet high, not including the pedestal. It features more of the plant, compared to the singular globe here, so perhaps it should be factoed in. However, i leave it for others to decide. 

My Log

Anything that is the Worlds Largest deserves to be respected. As one who depends on Roadside America when we travel, the worlds largest anything is demands a stop, There used to be a locationless to mark such sites so this brought up memories if those times — even if I then had to settle for the largest bore hole because artichokes was taken.

I might have thought that the world’s largest artichoke would be an artichoke, but in looking at it, there was no evidence that this had ever been a green leafy plant. It did not even appear to have been once living and sprayed with a preservative. Of course, many of the world’s largest items were.transformed or constructed just to claim the title. That leaves it open for a village in Italy to make an even bigger artichoke. The Artichoke competition could easily get out of hand.

Imagine a 100 foot artichoke. Imagine a 200 foot artichoke.  Friends, what would happen if a 300 foot artichoke got loose from its stand and began to roll. A police officer on a motorcycle might try to stop it by asking if if had a permit and blowing a whistle, only to be rolled over. A Sunday School group might run out the door to try to stop it together . . . but you do not even want to think about that. Nothing could stop it unless the special forces were brought in. They would have to call a special session of the UN to reach an international agreement on the size of artichokes, but could we trust North Korea?

What seemed like an easy project could turn into a quagmire. The entire adventure is a parable for our times. It needs to be made into a movie, or at least a song like the Ballad of the Giant Artichoke.

Come ‘n listen to a story ’bout a veggie that was made,
Big enough to cover the whole county in its shade!
One day in Castroville, sittin’ on its stand,
It snapped the wooden timbers and it rolled across the land.

 

02/16/2007