Remembering James Dean 60 years later

It has been 60 years since James Dean passed away. The actor, cultural icon and car enthusiast passed away in a car wreck on September 30, 1955, during a road trip from Hollywood to Salinas.

On the anniversary, fans came together to honor Dean’s life at the Salinas Municipal Airport: live music, a 1950s dinner, and a historical expert on hand.

But the highlight was the journey of a group of fans, who decided to complete Dean’s trip. They left Hollywood around 10 a.m. Thursday, made all of the stops Dean did, and ended in Salinas.

“Well he (James Dean) fell in love with Salinas when he was filming “East of Eden,” Trish Sullivan said. “He liked the car culture and the racing culture because we actually did have a track here at the Salinas airport, and a drag strip.”

Dean was headed to Salinas in his Porsche 500 Spyder, with hopes of competing in Pebble Beach. Although he never made it, his memory lives on.