Mammoth Orange
Chowchilla, CA Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman
Travelers zooming along Route 99 north of Fresno will find this a familiar sight. Yes, it is the Mammoth Orange, located off the east side of the highway in Chowchilla. This place is worth a stop to grab, at minimum, some fresh orange juice.
Unfortunately, the latest is the Mammoth Orange has been closed and will be bulldozed due to redevelopment. There is some hope that the orange will be moved. Many thanks go Jimmy Bowman for alert about the closure. 11-07
Mammoth Orange
Chowchilla, CA Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman
Giant Artichoke
Castroville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the Giant Artichoke standing outside its namesake restaurant in Castroville. Built in 1963, this 20-foot-tall concrete vegetable is hard to miss in the self-proclaimed Artichoke Capital of the World.
The restaurant serves steamed and fried artichokes along with other roadside favorites. The artichokes during this particular visit were not all that great, but hopefully it was just an off day in the artichoke capital.
Castroville crowned a young Norma Jeane Baker, soon to become Marilyn Monroe, its first Artichoke Queen in 1947. NFL broadcaster John Madden also reportedly stopped here for steamed artichokes while traveling aboard his Madden Cruiser.
UPDATE: The restaurant and produce market remain open, and the concrete artichoke still stands along Merritt Street. The property was offered for sale or lease in April 2026, leaving the future of this longtime roadside stop uncertain. 09-26
Giant Artichoke
