The Search for the Monroe Turtles - The Firefly at Madison

We were leaning up against a lamp post in front of the courthouse in Monroe the other day, and noticed a sticker on the sidewalk. The Monroe Turtles were put in at some point to encourage people to walk downtown. Since we had a few minutes to spare, the Search for the Monroe Turtles was on. It actually brought us to Monroe twice. Here is the story.

The Monroe Turtles were placed a few years ago to inspire people to explore the downtown area. When we took the tour, we only were able to find two.

Why are we telling you this?

Well, it’s because there are a lot of day trips near Madison, and we do enjoy putting our guests onto some interesting experiences. We’re practically experts on travel in the southeast US. If you are a visitor from Europe and California, it’s fun to know where to go and what to do. Go with it. It’s part of what we call Backroad Travel.

Monroe

We actually go to Monroe fairly regularly when we need a change in scenery.

Here’s a blog post we did a year ago.

https://www.fireflymadison.com/2021/03/28/monroe-do-over/

Monroe is “Hopping” these days. They’ve shaken off Covid, there is a brewery and a nice burger place now, and the little downtown bubble there, which we like, has pretty young moms pushing strollers.

There are four “Monroes” by the way, in case we are the only ones who have noticed. There’s the downtown bubble, there is still a “wrong side of the tracks”, there is a big melting pot out on the highway with an IHOP and a Lowes, and the fourth Monroe is the encroaching suburbia. Gwinnett is expanding to the point that there are new subdivisions going into the place.

The underlying economic driver is a few big factories on the edge of town between there and Watkinsville. We can talk about these places later.

The Monroe Turtles

Here’s the sticker. The QR code leads you to a web page on which there is a description of the fun historic buildings that are the supposed habitat of the turtles. The local visitors bureau had set up these things, evidently.

We have a few critiques of the web page that we will save because no one likes a whiner. The intent is for there to be a scavenger-type hunt, throughout the dozen or so historic and commercial sites. Get it?

What it doesn’t say is what the turtles look like, and the map is a bit cryptic. Some of us are challenge acceptors, so the quest was on.

Monroe Turtle sticker in front of the courthouse

The Search for the Turtles

Well, most of these are supposedly along Broad street. Once we figured the map out, we were able to find the one by the fountain at the City Hall, and here it is.

Monroe City Hall Turtle, which has a name

Turtle two is in the Pocket Park, farther downtown. The Pocket Park apparently sat in ruins for the better part of 20 years until the locals got together enough energy to fix it up. The original building, which was obviously some kind of old bank, was destroyed in a storm in the 90’s.

Here’s the old safe, which is one of the fun things. Here, also, is Turtle Two, which was perched on top of the safe structure.

The Pocket Park Turtle lurks ready to pounce

Turtle Fail

At this point, we were at the turtle capitulation point. We looked in or near every planter in town, all over the courthouse, and in front of the Walton Hotel and didn’t see any turtles.

We had a bit of a conversation about obsession. At what point does “determination” turn into “obsession?” How long should we look for the remaining 8 turtles?

It is possible that these things were set up, long forgotton about, and there are only two left. It is also possible that we are terrible searchers, and have failed the Monroe intelligence test by not seeing these things. At least we know (approximately) how big they are, and their color.

Consolation Prize: The LR Burger

So if there are nice burgers nearby, it is an opportunity, and we like to stimulate the local economy, and so we walked the block behind the courthouse to LR Burger. This restaurant is reasonably newly opened, and has burgers, beers, some adult beverages, and a pleasant, attractive, downtown bubble crowd.

Here’s a photo of their excellent Egon Burger, named after the Harold Ramis character in Ghost Busters. The beverage was low-calorie. Fancy cocktails are for the people that can find the turtles.

Day Two of the Search for the Monroe Turtles

We went back after the holidays, and continued the quest. The day started at the Hodge Podge. With some effort we might have found a turtle or two in there.

The Hodge Podge

Here it is. One of us is going to try to open a booth in this nice space right at the South Entrance. We’re pretty sure that everyone that goes in there will buy a copy of one of our books about trips around all of the little towns here. We’ll have some more on this topic.

We’ve also blogged the Hodge Podge a couple of times and there is a link below.

The Corner

We haven’t really talked about “the corner” enough. In a “Little Southern Town” there is a thing called “the corner.” If you ask someone directions to a store somewhere, they will say “oh yeah take a left at The Corner and it’s on the left hand side.

Of course, there may be more than one corner, but in a Little Southern Town, especially in the Downtown Bubble, there is a common understanding of “the corner.” It is usually the intersection of one or more of the old roads that led into town. There are actually two “corners” in Madison which makes it a little less obvious.

“The Corner” is similar to “the stop sign” in that if you are asking someone for directions, the meaning may be different depending on how old they are. The old timers will say “Oh, it’s right around “the corner” and they may mean a completely different thing than one of the young people that are new to town, and have just moved in. They’re not in on the local lore yet.

The Roe

The Roe, on the other hand, is right on “the corner” across from the courthouse. “They” have been working on this building for the better part of two years. if you go back to our 2020 Monroe blog on this topic, you know that the owners put a lot of time, effort and money into this place.

The front of it is a nice store, including butcher items, a bakery, and has some aspects of a coffee shop. The back of it is a big meeting place, banquet center, bar overlooking “the corner” and nice dining room.

The feast of the day was a very well made Roast Beef sandwich, with home made dipping sauces and hand cut fries. The beef is from their own butcher connection, which is “pasture raised” but does have some access to grain, which means it is fat and happy and a little tender.

We like going to places where they “try.” This place has a story that we will have to get later. The sandwich was excellent by the way, and the rye bread very nice.

The McDaniel Tichenor House

We had one more stop, which was the McDaniel Tichenor house. It is a bit generous to call this a “stop” what it really was was one more look for a turtle. It’s on the turtle map.

This would pass for the “Rich Guy House” in that it has some Greek Revival features, and dominates the road into town. It is also across the street from the Prosperous Church, so it is where it should be. The locals see this as a community asset, and there are weddings and events here. We were in work clothes and not inclined to go up the driveway which we are sure was pleasant.

I’ve linked the website below.

Fail: The Search for the Monroe Turtles

So after two trips, and a lot of walking around, are we upset that we only found two turtles? Not really, we are at peace with the idea that this happened after the invention of the QR code but long enough ago to have them disappear.

The idea is so good that we are inclined to copy it, and if the Madison Visitors Bureau decides to do such a thing, we will pay for the little bronze Fireflies.

But the Monroe people would surely give us a hard time, and have us sit in the corner with the cone of shame. We had only a 20 percent success rate.

Success: The Search for the Monroe Turtles

The success was the Monroe visitors people. Even though 80 percent of these things have gone off, the system “worked” in that it got us to walk around downtown, and spend a few dollars in a couple of the nice establishments.

Good for them. And us. We liked it here. We like places where there is positive energy and people who try.

Do-over: The Search for the Monroe Turtles

Would we do this again? Probably so. It is likely that if we get the space at the Hodge Podge organized we will repeat the trek. Would we send a guest here? Sure, in fact that is likely also. We would not necessarily tell them to look for the turtles though.

PS: By the way, in case it comes up neither the LR burger nor the Roe gave us anything to say something nice about them, nor did the Hodge Podge for that matter.

Be there in the Square.

PS: Have we told you we are published authors?

Good heavens, we can’t have that, can we? People like this fun little book which talks about all of the places in the South where famous musicians, songs, and places can be found.

This is perfect for your “Rainy Night in Georgia.”