MYRTLE TURTLE & HER ROYAL COURT, INDIO, CA, 1967
A giant paper mâché turtle on wheels trails a trio of local teen girls perched on a Chrysler product parading through he heart of town. The beautiful bubble windshield tells us it’s a Chrysler, but who cares what kind of a car it is when its covered from stem to stern in spellbinding stripes of buttercup yellow and sea-foam green toilet paper flowers. I love America… but I love Americana even more! And if this isn’t Americana I don’t know what is!
The waving girls, in their formals, elegant elbow-length gloves, teased hair and tiaras are crowned royalty of the annual Joshua Tree Turtle Races. I have no idea what happened to the royals, but I do know what happened to the turtle and the turtle races. The annual races, which began in 1946, were, by the early 70s, deemed “turtle abuse” and were shut down for good in 1975. The giant paper mâché turtle served as a prototype to a permanent cement “Myrtle Turtle” that remains to this day in Joshua Tree as a local mascot, displayed somewhere in the heart of town. I’ve never seen Myrtle in person, have you? When you do, please make sure to say hello… and send pix!
Once you pull your eyes away from the girls, the turtle, and that mesmerizing display of toilet paper flowers, it’s time to savor the super signage of America’s first nation wide supermarket chain, A & P. Just as the store front informs us, A & P Food Store was established in 1859, in NYC to be exact. A & P is short for Atlantic Coffee and Pacific Tea Co. Not only did A & P sell food, they entertained and informed too. In 1924, A & P Radio Hour became the first nation-wide radio program. In 1928 they began publishing Woman’s Day Magazine, which remains on newsstands, and my mother’s magazine rack, to this day. A & P is now celebrating 150 years!
Here’s to Myrtle Turtle and her royal court, toilet paper flower covered Chrysler products, A & P and YOU!
Los Angeles, CA
February 18, 2010
My aunt Mary worked at that same store in downtown Indio until she retired. I think she helped open it. I have ony seen pictures of it in black and white. Nice to see the color.
When I first saw the picture I thought to myself- “no way this is in Indio, there was definitely not a market in Indio in 1859.” So thanks for clarifying! Love the pics (and all the others!) Keep them coming (especially the ones from Indio)
Love the picture and all the background info! My east coast grandparents always shopped at the A&P on Bristol St. in Santa Ana in the 1950s-60s, and I grew up on “Woman’s Day” magazine, but I never knew they were connected.
I think the car decor is actually made from paper napkins, not TP. The colors are brighter, and the paper the right size and much sturdier for the job. In the late 1950s, I remember helping my Aunt Yvonne decorate a float for Riverside City College w/paper napkins. I was only 4 yrs. old, and I was thrilled to be hanging out with the cool big kids!
The boy in the front passenger seat looks like a mini Secret Service agent.
TURTLE FOUND! A reliable source tells me Myrtle Turtle sits on a strip of commercial property in downtown Joshua Tree on the south side of Highway 62 between Hillview and Sunset. If you see Myrtle please say I said hello!
Here’s to Myrtle!
Charles
That IS my hometown A&P in Indio and I was 11 years old in 1967! My parents shopped at this store and JC Penny and Yellowmart just up the road. When A&P closed the butchers gave my folks the huge butcher block cutting board and a fantastic set of knives that I now have in my kitchen. Wow, what a great surprise. THANKS for the blast from MY past:-).
This is a fascinating and fact-filled post! I had no idea about the origin of A & P, their radio hour or Woman’s Day! This made my day.. I’m from Salt Lake City and Phoenix, and there were no A& P’s! Makes me sad I missed them in the good ol’ days. The Turtle Races sound “keen”. The turtle is so realistic, too! This just a too cool blast from the past!
“turtle abuse?” Oh PETA… puhleeze! But REALLY? The annual Joshua Tree Turtle Races… CLOSED AFTER SEVERAL DECADES FOR ALLEDGED, “turtle abuse”. Oh Myrtle! We loved ye! Come back Myrtle. Timmy’s heart is breaking.
There was an A & P in my hometown (pop. 3273) but we never shopped there because I think my dad had something against “chains”.
I can still smell the ground coffee and picture the machine customers could use to grind their own beans in the aisle of the A&P in Upper Arlington, Ohio. A&P got mostly beat out of business by bigger, newer, better-priced competitors, but in their day, they were dominant in many towns. In some nicer areas, A&P built their grocery stores with a Howard-Johnson’s-like cupola on the roof. Some of these have survived even where A&P is gone. This whole shot is a gem, particularly with the turtle race angle. Thanks, Charles!
Seeing the A & P sign brings back memories of the old store that was located at the corner of 54th and El Cajon in San Diego back in the 60′s. The building is still there. I remember the circle checkstands and the doors that came open when you stepped on the black rubber pad. I always loved the graphics of the sign. Don’t ever know why they left Southern California.
Gosh, I haven’t been to an A&P in years. My sister has a pet box turtle. She would like this picture.
wow.i too love how girls looked in the 60′s.thank you so much for the 60′s memories.please more parades,pageants and festivals from the 60′s and early 70′s