COMING SOON!
MODESTO GRAFFITI history
The Modesto Graffiti Museum™
The Graffiti Museum is dedicated to the creative vision of hometown hero George Lucas, and celebrates the era, town and Valley cruisin’ culture in which he grew up. We focus on the “American Graffiti” year of 1962 and the movie’s portrayal of America’s transition from the Fabulous ‘50s into the Turbulent ‘60s. The Museum provides a trip back in time to classic cars, the popular and social culture, and the golden age of rock’n’roll.
Cruise back to the days when America was growing up … !
We’re cruisin’ toward the Modesto Graffiti Museum™! This proposed tourist destination will showcase the culture of the 1950s and early 1960s as celebrated in one of the world’s most popular movies, American Graffiti, co-written and directed by our hometown hero George Lucas. The Museum will explore the subjects of the movie: classic cars, good ol’ rock’n’roll, the historic, social and “pop” culture of the era, and life in Modesto and Stanislaus County “Back In The Day.” The Museum is dedicated to vision of George Lucas, and includes a room dedicated to his life, local history, and his professional accomplishments.
The memories live on, and Modesto continues to recreate its glory as The Classic Car and Cruisin’ Capital of the California Central Valley!
Special Dedication: The Museum’s presentations of cars and crusin’ will be dedicated to the memory of the late Chuck Billington, one of Modesto’s leading civic leaders, a cruiser from the olden days, and a champion record-holder in motor racing. A special room – the Chuck Billington Crusin’ Hall of Fame – will be dedicated to his career and will also showcase such Stanislaus County-raised racing and car innovators and legends as Tom Foster, Gene Winfield, Jack McCoy, and Chuck’s son Tim. (Cruisin’ led to a lifetime of cars and their national reputations!)
We are looking for a downtown warehouse, which can include car displays and many film and historic artifacts, to house this unique tourism attraction!
And we are asking for donations or loans of all-things-circa ‘50s-‘60s
having to do with cars, cruising, rock’n’roll, and the popular/social/historic culture of the times
(name/company of donor to be prominently displayed.)
Can you help? See how to contact us, over.
Thank you to our sponsors, associates, and/or sharers-of-vision! (List in development)
- Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau 209/526-5588
- Crow Trading Company, 1208 J Street, Modesto (contributing ‘50s-‘60s artifacts) 209/ 579-2173 www.crowtrading.com
- Downtown Picture Framing, The Camera Store, 1220 J Street., Modesto 209/524-1490
- Be a sponsor! Add your name and/or organization here!
Historical Theme and Focus of the ‘50s-‘60s Venue - “Where were you in ’62?”
In 1962, America was evolving from the “Fabulous ‘50s” into the “Turbulent ‘60s.” Whether by design or serendipity, George Lucas (who graduated from Thomas Downey High School that year) precisely portrayed the time that marked the ending of the era of America’s innocence before darker days took over. The summer of 1962 was the bridge, the transition from the ‘50s culture into ‘60s – and it is the focus of much of the Graffiti Museum with its attention to the era’s popular culture and national events.
The “Fifties,” as a life style and cultural/political era, arguably did not end until 1962 as the social and political environment began to change—it clearly was over on November 22, 1963, with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In ’62, the musical times also were a’changin’ with the arrival of Bob Dylan (his first album was released by Columbia on March 19, 1962) and the Beatles (who had begun recording in England). JFK sent the first combat troops to Vietnam, with the massive buildup soon to follow. The Cuban missile crisis in October 1962 was the single most dangerous moment in the Cold War when nuclear war came very, very close. The Graffiti Museum will illustrate and humanize this vital history, providing a look at and into America in 1962 and the years before and after. And it will be loaded with nostalgic representations of the era.
Special Features
On or near the Museum site, we hope to recreate a restored Burge’s Drive In. Wouldn’t that be a trip (or should we say cruise)? There may also be a chance to create a Graffiti Rock’n’Roll Radio Studio, celebrating Wolfman Jack as portrayed in the movie. Stacks of original records of the period will be scattered through the studio. (Hey, is that the Wolfman stepping out of the door…?) During special events and dances at the Museum, a DJ will actually broadcast from the studio, spinning classic vinyl records (perhaps a weekly oldies show can be generated through a local station).
There will be representations of ‘50s-‘60s icons, including Elvis, Marilyn (who died in 1962), Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, James Dean, Willie Mays, MLK Jr., Bob Dylan, JFK, Ike and more. With the right venue, we will be able to display rotating classic cars within the Museum. And of course car clubs and owners will be always invited to showcase their vehicles and organizations outside the Museum.
The year 1962 will be introduced by a chronology of major historic events, which will be interpreted by displayed items representing pop/political/social history, including:
- Best-selling books
- LIFE/LOOK magazines presented in chronological succession
- Juke boxes, record players, radios, TV sets from the era
- Movie posters and stills
- Selected editions of Valley papers with key headlines
- Political pins, posters, etc. (local, state, national)
- The original hit records of 1962 (with headphones for listening)
- International politics, including the Cold War/nuclear arms race
- Samples of pop fashions and haircuts (photos, vintage clothing)
- Magazines about cars, show biz, music
- Household items reflecting the period
- Video clips of historic moments shown on TV sets from the era
Would you like to see the complete, detailed proposal for our Museum?
Contact brucejones424@msn.com or call 209/529-3732.
The Modesto Graffiti Museum™ is a project sponsored by Graffiti-Era Productions in cooperation with the Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Contribute to the Museum by buying copies of the book ($8) “Rock the Joint!”
A chronology of the musical influences, performances and records from spirituals, blues, big band swing, combo jive jumps, boogie woogie, and jazz, all of which blended to create rhythm&blues, and which then went on to create rock’n’roll by integrating with country bop, “hillbilly boogie,” honky tonk, and rockabilly. The book is dedicated to Modesto’s own Maddox Brothers and Rose, Chester Smith, and Merced’s Roddy Jackson and the Blue Notes (Roddy and the Blue Notes each have a ‘50s-‘60s era CD through Amazon). A portion of book receipts go to Museum operation.