Landmark: United States Logo

James Dean Memorial

in front of the post office
Cholame, California

James Dean monument
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Famous for his role in the movie "Rebel Without a Cause," James Dean was one of America's most famous teen idols. The irony that the racing enthusiast died in a car accident is reflected in the unique design of this memorial.

The stylized sculpture is composed of concrete and stainless steel around a tree of heaven growing in front of the Cholame post office.

The accident that killed Dean happened about 900 yards east of the monument.

The sculpture was made in Japan and transported to Cholame, accompanied by the project's benefactor, Seita Ohnishi.

The dates and hours of Dean's birth and death are etched into the sculpture, along with a handwritten description by Dean's close friend, William Bast, of one of Dean's favorite lines from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince - "What is essential is invisible to the eye."

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Map of the Area Around
James Dean Memorial