Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Shandon James Dean Memorial Junction

James Dean Memorial Junction

A remote crossroads honoring a fallen talent.

Shandon, California

Added By
zackofalltrades
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Rolling hills surround the site.   hharryus via Flickr
  kencobler / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The California junction of Highways 41 and 46 would be simply another remote road crossing had it not been for the 1955 accident which led to the death of Actor James Dean, an idol to millions of moviegoers. 

This junction was the epicenter for a shock that reverberated around the world when Dean and his personal mechanic, Rolf Wutherich, were involved in a head-on collision that killed Dean. Wutherich, who survived, sustained multiple injuries when he was thrown from the vehicle. Given Dean's astronomical fame at the time of the crash, the actor's death became national news, a rare occurrence at the time for a single car crash. The tragedy even spurred California planners to reroute the junction so that the road was safer.

The new, safer junction is now called the "James Dean Memorial Junction" and bears a sign with the name. The sign still sees visitors from around the world who come to pay tribute to the young performer, often leaving ribbons or small tokens of remembrance. 

Related Tags

Monuments Memento Mori

Community Contributors

Added By

zackofalltrades

Edited By

Blindcolour, HJArmstrong, EricGrundhauser, Rachel...

  • Blindcolour
  • HJArmstrong
  • EricGrundhauser
  • Rachel
  • kencobler

Published

August 7, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
James Dean Memorial Junction
Antelope Road
Shandon, California, 93461
United States
35.734567, -120.284272
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Rinconada Mercury Mine

Santa Margarita, California

miles away

Poly Canyon - Experimental Structures Lab

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Motel Inn

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,508
Stories 136

Nearby Places

Rinconada Mercury Mine

Santa Margarita, California

miles away

Poly Canyon - Experimental Structures Lab

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Motel Inn

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,508
Stories 136

Related Places

  • Thomas and Mary Howard.

    Rudbaxton, Wales

    Church of St. Michael

    Eerily lifelike effigies stare at everyone who enters this sanctuary.

  • William Jeffreys’ stone grave.

    Youngsville, North Carolina

    Tomb of William Jeffreys

    A young state senator's deathbed plea to be buried inside a rock resulted in this unusual grave site.

  • Kościuszko Mound

    Krakow, Poland

    Kościuszko Mound

    This man-made mound monument was built out of soil from all across the Polish empire.

  • The child eater

    Bern, Switzerland

    The Child Eater of Bern

    A nearly 500-year-old sculpture depicts a man eating a sack of babies, and no one is sure why.

  • The Raven Room

    Charlottesville, Virginia

    The Raven Room

    Edgar Allan Poe's old dorm is now a shrine to the author's legacy.

  • Bullet Baba’s Shrine

    Bandai, India

    Bullet Baba Shrine

    Liquor and flowers mark a holy site for Indian motorcycle riders.

  • Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post Office

    Gdańsk, Poland

    Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post Office

    Modern art commemorates one of the first military actions of World War II.

  • The Dragon Rib of Atessa

    Atessa, Italy

    The Dragon Rib of Atessa

    A preserved dragon's rib that remembers the legend of the founding of the city of Atessa.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.