By Chris Murphy
American Graffiti turns 50, and Graffiti in Modesto is 75!
How did we get to where we are today? It all started after World War II. Soldiers were back from the war, gas was prevalent, tires were available, and streets and highways were being built. Exciting and unique drive-ins like Burge’s lined the roads and main drags, luring hungry motorists with quick car hop service serving burgers, fries, chicken, and fresh pies. Unlike wartime, you could drive around town, back and forth for no reason at all. With cheap gas, cruising was invented. In 1947 Modesto, the cruise was 10th Street, then called “Dragging 10th”. Soon, after the Modesto Police tried to shut it down by making 10th St one-way, it became a loop on 10th & 11th. The rest is the history we all lived.
George Lucas once told me when I asked him about how he would describe himself, and he said he is “a storyteller”. American Graffiti was a story about 1962 in Modesto, USA. It was a story that was shared by many communities around the USA, but it has put Modesto in a special place in our nation’s history and pop culture. Yes Modesto, we are the #homeofAmericanGraffiti, and this fantastic history is key to our future. Like Lucas, we, Modesto, have to tell our story. It is something to be proud of, and we must celebrate it by recognizing our importance in the past and what it can do for our future. Our story is still being written.
50 Years of American Graffiti
George Lucas’ American Graffiti was released in 1973, and since then, Modesto USA has been immortalized in one of the top 100 films of all time. There were so many people, cars, and experiences that George drew inspiration from, and these were all put together for this legendary film. For years, Modesto has been working on various ways to celebrate our classic history, educate the public and draw tourists worldwide.
Our Streets Have a Story
Located on 10th St, the street of the original drag is home base to the Modesto Historic Cruise Route and Walk of Fame, founded in 2012. Like the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, there are nearly forty Classic Tailfin Markers on the sidewalk and plaza between J and K streets featuring Modesto’s Legends of the Cruise. The first marker was presented to George Lucas in 2013. Stars of American Graffiti, Bo Hopkins, Paul LeMat, and Candy Clark, are on the Walk of Fame. This year, Mackenzie Phillips, who played Carol Morrison, will be inducted along with the Class of 2023.
This is also the starting point for the Cruise Walk Tour featuring 25 interactive kiosks loaded with Modesto, music, car, and cruising history. To learn more, visit www.modestocruiseroute.com for pictures, videos, and history.
The future?
Thanks to American Graffiti’s success, George Lucas produced the film he always wanted to make. From his comic book days and his imagination, he wanted to make his own Buck Rogers. Out of this came Star Wars, and the entertainment world would never be the same. From the yards on Ramona Avenue to 10th St and to galaxies far, far away, Modesto’s George Lucas changed the world.
Hey Kids
I’m Rodney!
I want to introduce you to the reason Modesto is so awesome! It’s our classic cars like me, Penny, Tina, Chuck, and others, and we are all shined up, ready to cruise, and all powered up for Graffiti Summer and heading to the Graffiti USA Museum. I hope you enjoy everything we have going this year, and make sure to check out the Cruise Route Graffiti USA Museum, view our classic murals, enjoy the car shows, and check out the chrome. We even have a new coloring book for your summer fun. Download the coloring book for free at www.modestoview.com/graffiti-fun-coloring-book-free/
Graffiti Gifts!
If you are in town for Graffiti Summer, don’t forget your Graffiti gifts and souvenirs. Stop by the Graffiti USA Museum store and you can take home a part of Modesto USA with great t-shirts, Graffiti wine, fuzzy dice, shot glasses, cool model cars, and jackets, and even send some postcards from Graffiti USA! Take a walk around and check out the progress of the museum.
Walk of Fame Markers
Thanks so much to Mat Rogers and the crew at Flying Turtle Concrete for making our tailfin markers. Also, a Flying Turtle fun fact, Mat was the lead singer for the Cadillac Kids band. Right on! Please check out Flying Turtle at www.flyingturtleconcrete.com
Thank you, City of Modesto. Thanks for letting the streets of Modesto be the star and for allowing the Historic Cruise Route and the Walk of Fame to be a big part of our Modesto culture. Thanks to Visit Modesto for helping tell our amazing stories far and wide. Soon, Modesto will be a California Welcome Center, and we will be showcasing our Graffiti heritage to the whole world. www.modestogov.com www.visitmodesto.com
Side Bar
Graffiti Summer Schedule
Start Your Engines!
Vroom Vroom. The first big show out of the gate this year is the Modesto Street Rods Graffiti Classic show at McHenry Village. You will see a huge special show for the 75th anniversary of the Corvette. There will be food, music, chrome, lots of Corvettes, and more. Check out the info on this show and the activities of this very active car club. This is a FREE show.
June 3 – McHenry Village 9 – 3 pm
The Big Show
June 9, 10 & 11
The North Modesto Kiwanis Show is the show of shows in our region. The sweetest street rods, race cars, a huge vendor area and food of all types, and a big stage with classic tunes from local bands like The SuperAvengers and the Overdryve all weekend long, and you can try to pick which cars will be the winners of this legendary Modesto car show. Go meet Candy Clark and Mackenzie Phillips, as well as our greatest car people worldwide. Don’t miss the fantastic low riders and check out the famous Rosemary and many others. There is a new section for some of the new newer specialty cars (Coffee and Cars) on Sunday morning. The car show is an essential fundraiser for non-profits in our region, and the quality of this show draws the best cars from all over the western USA. June 10, 9-5, June 11, 9-3 pm Lots of easy parking.
MJC West – Tix at www.americangraffitifestival.com
The Cruise is King
This event kicks off at 6:30 pm Friday, June 9, in Downtown Modesto with the famous American Graffiti Cruise Parade, open only to cars exhibiting in the car show, 1979 and older. The cruise starts at 5 Points with introductions of the Cruise Champions at 6 pm. The cruise goes up and down McHenry like we used to do, and then loops J 10th /11th and I street and back to 17th. This is a family fun night in downtown Modesto and out McHenry.
To get details and exhibit info, www.americangraffitifestival.com/
Exhibitor info, check-in, and festival host location:
Graffiti Groovin’
Let’s get Groovin’ on a sunny afternoon! Please welcome the original Rascals to a special afternoon show at the Gallo Center. Original Rascals Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, Grammy Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and Songwriter Hall of Fame members, The Rascals are widely considered the best ‘blue-eyed soul’ group to come out of the 1960s, and their music is the soundtrack of a generation. The Rascals have 17 Top 20 hits, seven Top 10 hits, and three No.1 hits: “Groovin’,” “People Got To Be Free,” and “Good Lovin’.” Enjoy the sounds of
Rascals on Sunday, June 11– Gallo Center for the Arts
Sing-A-Long Grease
Summer Lovin! This will be one of the most fun events as you can get all dressed up, bring the family and see a movie you know you love, and sing every song at the top of your lungs, along with a packed theatre of Graffiti friends. They even have the words on the screen for the Grease Sing A Long. You need to do this. The State does have a martini bar so it could even be more fun. June 10 – 2 pm Tix $6 www.thestate.org
Classic Hits
George Lucas built American Graffiti around some of the best songs ever. The music was so important to him that he spent nearly 10% of the total budget to make the film on music rights. It was the first movie to be built around pop songs, as most movies and musicals had songs written for the story. To this day, the songs in the Graffiti soundtrack are some of the best. Many of these are based on the hits of legendary local musician Roddy Jackson, the Central Valley Fireball. Sadly, we lost Roddy this year, but his music will continue forever.
The Graffiti Spirit is good for our soul, it is good for our economy, and it makes us a special place that should be a destination for people around the world Graffiti Summer is our time of the year. People from around the world come to Modesto to get their slice of ModestoCana, feel our Graffiti spirit, and be a part of our Graffiti.
