One Tank Trips

• Jan 25, 2008 3:49 pm US/Pacific
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  One Tank Trip: James Dean

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One Tank Trip: James Dean

Reporting
John Iander

A little known California monument is trying to fight the vandals these days.  Down in the central valley there's a tribute to a Hollywood superstar.  It was a hot summer evening about 6:00, September of 1955.  Near the tiny town of Cholame, west bound drivers on what is now Highway 46 were squinting into the sun.

A young actor, soon to be legend, James Dean was driving his Porsche Syder racecar from Los Angeles to Paso Robles.  As he descended this hill, some say at high speed, a sedan turned in front of him at an intersection.  Dean was trapped behind the steering wheel; a broken neck ended Hollywood's newest super star's life at just twenty four.

Long ago, Caltrans realigned the intersection where James Dean was killed and that is why that intersection is named after him.  Traffic passes here hardly noticing another sight.  Here, built around an old oak tree is a monument to Dean.  A Japanese businessman, who admired the actor, built it decades ago.  The memorial is not advertised but tourists like Tom Peck often stumble upon it.

"I've driven by here maybe fifty times and I've never stopped."

Visitors bring flowers, or drop a few lucky coins on the bronze plaques.  Ted and Lauren Andrach spent a few moments remembering.

"He was a good actor, sad death, died young, this used to be a fun place to come, but now it's full of trash."

Dean's fans are furious some people are not respecting this monument.  It has been vandalized, concrete broken, and some of the statuary like a fallen bird have been stolen.

The café next door to the memorial has become a sort of shrine and gift store in memory of Dean. Diner employee, Sidney Wattles says it's a nice tourist attraction in my opinion.  You'd be surprised at the number of people who stand out there for hours reading that thing.

Today many of the letters stolen from the monument have been replaced and fans have tried to pickup the trash and polish the metal. That's important, because in the mirror finish of this monument it is said that on the day and time Dean was killed, that deadly intersection is reflected.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)