Caption: Congrats to All Ages Abbey Murphy on her IB Graduation from Modesto High. Soon she will be turning her All Ages Pages to another amazing Girl Scout when she goes off to UC Berkeley in the fall.
Greetings Modesto Fans!
1.2.3.O’Clock 4 O’clock Rock.. Wow, what a way to start a song, or even better yet a movie. A movie that would change the way movies were made, change the way music would be used in a movie and change forever what Modesto California means to people around the world. Most communities have to invent something that they are known for that they can celebrate. Tourism is a huge benefit to any community and to get tourism dollars, you have to want them. You have to tell the world about who you are and why they should visit. Modesto is the home of American Graffiti. We are famous for this around the world and our Graffiti Summer celebrations are attracting people from around the world. Where are the billboards on Highway 99?
Over two years ago I started working on the Modesto Historic Cruise Route and partnered up with the city of Modesto and some amazing companies in town that believed that we need to tell our historic story and why George Lucas made a movie about Modesto. Now today, the original streets where Modesto used to cruise are now “the Modesto Historic Cruise Route” and there are 25 historic and educational markers on this interesting walking tour and now, we are about to unveil the “Legends of the Cruise” Walk of Fame. ModestoView is here, making a difference and helping create a positive Modesto and like the legendary carhops, “Serving Civic Pride Daily” We are proud to be making things happen and changing our future.
But this is not all. Not only are we the Home of American Graffiti, we are also the home of Classic Street Rod with Hometown Hero Gene Winfield, Modesto High class of ’45, that invented many of the classic hotrods we see today and influenced todays designers.
Is it coincidence that American Graffiti started off with a Rockabilly song? If you read our May issue, you also learned that Modesto is the birthplace of Rockabilly since Fred Maddox started slappin his bass in 1937 and Rockabilly is the rocking foundation of Rock and Roll. You need to go see Lee Rocker on the 21st at the State and then our Boogie Woogie Street Party on the 22nd, free to all on J St to experience Rockabilly. Just try not to dance. Can you believe much amazing history is here in Modesto, not to mention Jeremy Renner, Tim Olyphant, Grandaddy and other global favorites.
But ModestoView doesn’t stop there, we have an amazing Architectural history and we welcome a new addition to the ViewCrew. Bob Barzan, founder of the Modesto Art Museum will be doing a monthly ArchitectureView column showcasing our stellar design history and offerings. Stay tuned for some exciting projects. There are classic buildings here designed by classic architects.
We now celebrate our graduates of 2013 and hopefully we have all done our jobs so that they are ready to go out and change the world. Just maybe we will all work together here to create a city where they want to return to after college. It is up to us.
Thank you to the wonderful writers in the ViewCrew for creating cultural events in town and sharing what they do with our readers. We thank our advertisers so that we are able to design, print and distribute the awesome ModestoView Magazine. There is nothing like it connecting our community in a 100% positive way and there is nothing like you, our 100% awesome readers.
Thanks so much Chris Murphy Founder and Publisher, ModestoView chrism@modestoview.com
