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Downtown Modesto







10th street at J street looking toward K street. The 1000 block. About 1960. Starting at the left side of the street the business' were:

  • 1003 - Grayson's (women's clothing)                                        1002  Arden's (women's clothing)
  • 1011 - Singer Sewing Sewing Machine Co.                             1006 - Loomis Seed & Floral Co.
  • 1013 - Hammett's (women's clothing)                                      1008  - New Canton Grill  
  • 1015 - Montgomery Ward                                                          1010 -  Musser's Men's wear
  • 1019 - Frank A. Freitas Jeweler                                                1012 - Anita Shop(women's)
  • 1021 - Strand Theater                                                                 1014 - F W Woolworth
  • 1023 - Strand Barber Shop                                                         1024 - National Dollar Stores
  • 1025 - Swan Jewelers                                                                 1028 - McMahan Furniture
  • 1027 - Hamilton Music                                                              1030 - Thrifty Drug Store



10th street looking south early 1960s.


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Modesto in the mid-1950s

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Early 1960s Tenth Street

In the fall of 1957 both 10th and 11th streets became one way running in opposite directions in downtown Modesto; brought about by merchants who wanted more convenient on-street parking for their patrons. With each street having three lanes, cars could sit side by side and do a loop through downtown which helped start the Modesto teenage social activity known as cruising (earlier called dragging). The two pictures below show 10th street as a one way street from different views at about the same time. The first shows 10th street at J street looking northwest. The photographer seems to be positioned in the middle of the street with Longs on the left and Kress on the right (both out of view).  The second photo is looking southeast at K street with part of the Sears department store in view on the left. These photos were taken in the early 1960s which is about when George Lucas' 1973 semi-autobiographical movie American Grafitti takes place. By the mid-1960s, however, two of the ma