Norma Jean Mortensen, who later became Marilyn Monroe, was the first ever Artichoke Queen in Castroville. She wasn’t the first choice but she was available.

During WWII, Monroe worked in a munitions factory where the First Motion Picture Unit of the US Army Air Forces was sent to take morale boosting pictures of women workers. Monroe was a model for the project but none of her pictures were used. Although she began modeling for the photographer which led to signing a contract with the Blue Book Model Agency.