Modesto, California

Stanislaus County

06-48354

Modesto is a city in Stanislaus County in the U.S. state of California, United States, with 209 936 inhabitants ( as of 2008) and the county seat of administration.

The metropolitan area has a size of 93.1 km ². It is the origin of George Lucas, who shot his film American Graffiti here. Also, Sonny Barger, founder of the Hells Angels, was born here.

Motto

Water, Wealth, Contentment, Health (water, prosperity, happiness, health ).

Twinning

• Mexico Aguascalientes, Mexico
• Ukraine Khmelnytsky, Ukraine
• Japan Kurume, Japan
• Canada Vernon, Canada
• India Vijayawada, India

Sons and daughters of the town

• Grandaddy, Indie Rock Band
• Fred Agabashian, race car driver
• James Algar, animation and documentary filmmaker at Walt Disney
• Sonny Barger, founder of the Hells Angels
• Randall Behr, conductor
• Tony Boselli, American football player
• Jo Clayton, writer
• Ann Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture of the United States
• Steve Forrest, drummer
• Ralph E. Griswold, computer
• George Lucas, director and producer
• Timothy Olyphant, actor ( grew up here )
• Heath Pearce, football player
• Harve Presnell, film and theater actor
• Jeremy Renner, movie actor
• Kenny Roberts Sr., motorcycle racer
• Mark Spitz, nine-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming