30 Years Later We're Going Back to the Locations of Back to the Future

Jared CowanFilm

The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty McFly (Michael J. Fox) skateboards outside of Doc Brown’s garageThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe parking lot where the façade of Doc Brown’s garage was constructed is located on Victory Blvd. in Burbank behind a Burger King.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty grabs onto the back of a pickup truck on Victory Blvd. in BurbankThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe Burger King from the beginning of Back to the Future is still in operation and is located at 545 N. Victory Blvd. in Burbank.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty rides through Hill Valley’s town squareThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe iconic town square of Back to the Future at Universal Studios HollywoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotJENNIFER: MartyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotJENNIFER: MartyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotJENNIFER: MartyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMcFly. You’re a slacker! Mr. Strickland (James Tolkan) with Marty and Jennifer at Hill Valley High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotHallway of Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMARTY: AlrightThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMARTY: AlrightThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd. in Burbank.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe battle of the bands committeeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe battle of the bands committeeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe battle of the bands committeeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe battle of the bands committeeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe battle of the bands committeeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotUniversal’s Courthouse SquareThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty’s neighborhoodThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at 1600 S. Azusa Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at 1600 S. Azusa Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotwhen this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hourThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotwhen this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hourThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotwhen this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hourThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotwhen this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hourThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotwhen this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hourThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at approximately 17545 Cucamonga Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at approximately 17545 Cucamonga Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at approximately 17545 Cucamonga Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlocated at approximately 17545 Cucamonga Ave.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotbring me a dream” - Marty arrives in 1955 Hill ValleyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe Universal backlot corner where the Essex movie theater was locatedThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty watches a car pull into Hill Valley’s Texaco stationThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe Texaco station has changed spots in Courthouse SquareThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlot1955 Hill ValleyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotA gazebo is now part of the town square and the clock tower’s façade has been re-designed. Backlot fires in 1990The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotand 2008 destroyed parts of Courthouse Square and most of it had to be completely rebuilt. The courthouse was miraculously spared in each fire.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty in the town square with a war memorial behind himThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe Uni-VetsThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotfinanced this memorial in the late 40s. It documents every Universal employee who fought in WWIThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotand the Korean Conflict. The memorialThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotcan clearly be seen in Back to the Future the first time Marty McFly walks into 1955 Hill Valley. It is now housed in the NBCUniversal Archives.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty is puzzled after seeing a working clock on the clock towerThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotUniversal’s City Hall set. The giant panthers seen on the top of the clock tower in Back to the Future had been used originally in 1982’s Cat People.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty approaches Lou’s CaféThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe café is no longer on the corner in Courthouse Square. The Texaco gas station took its place.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorge McFly (Crispin Glover)The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorge McFly (Crispin Glover)The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorge McFly (Crispin Glover)The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorge McFly (Crispin Glover)The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorge McFly (Crispin Glover)The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlot1640 Riverside Dr.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe garage of Pasadena’s Gamble HouseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotDoc Brown’s houseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe exterior of Doc Brown’s house is the Gamble HouseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe exterior of Doc Brown’s house is the Gamble HouseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe exterior of Doc Brown’s house is the Gamble HouseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotanother Greene & Greene house.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotUpon arrival at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlothand-drawn map of campus locations where Back to the Future and Back to the Future Part II had been shot.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMARTY: Whoa! They really cleaned this place up. It looks brand new.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotHill Valley High School exteriors and interior were filmed mostly at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotHill Valley High School exteriors and interior were filmed mostly at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotHill Valley High School exteriors and interior were filmed mostly at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotHill Valley High School exteriors and interior were filmed mostly at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotman. You’re a slacker. Do you want to be a slacker for the rest of your life?The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotA lot has changed at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotA lot has changed at Whittier High SchoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorgeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorgeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorgeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGeorgeThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotWhittier High School was one of the few schools in the area that had not been remodeled and still looked like it was out of the past. Filming at the school took place over spring break of 1985.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotDOC: Look! There’s a rhythmic ceremonial ritual coming up. – MARTY: Of courseThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotthey’re supposed to go to this! That’s where they kiss for the first time!The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe corner where one of the many Enchantment Under the Sea dance posters was hungThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotWhittier High School’s original cafeteria was torn down in 2009 after parts of it began sinking in to the ground.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGEORGE: LookThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGEORGE: LookThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotjust a few doors down from Lorraine’s house. Biff’s grandma’s house from Back to the Future Part II can also be found on the same street.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotGEORGE: Last night Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn’t take Lorraine out that he’d melt my brain. – MARTY: YeahThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotlet’s just keep this brain melting stuff to ourselvesThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotarguablyThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotother famous movies to make use of the town square include To Kill a Mockingbird and Gremlins.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty and Lorraine pull in to the high school parking lot for the Enchantment Under the Sea danceThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotThe “horseshoe” at Whittier High School is where all of the cars are parked during the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBiff’s goons carry Marty behind the schoolThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarty gets locked in the trunk of the car belonging to Marvin Berry and the Starlighters behind Whittier High School’s auditorium.The clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotMarvin Berry and the StarlightersThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBehind Whittier High School’s auditoriumThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBIFF: You’re asking for itThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBIFF: You’re asking for itThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBIFF: You’re asking for itThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlotBIFF: You’re asking for itThe clock tower on the Universal Studios backlot

“We decided to call it Hill Valley, which was kind of an oxymoron that nobody ever really gets,” jokes Back to the Future’s co-creator and producer, Bob Gale. When considering the look they wanted for Hill Valley, Gale and co-creator/director, Robert Zemeckis, both from the Midwest, wanted it to feel like an archetypal, middle-America town. “The one aspect that we did deal with a lot was the idea that the town itself had to be a character in the movie,” says Gale.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of time traveling teen, Marty McFly, and the film — released July 3, 1985 — that turned a DeLorean into the coolest car an '80s kid could ever want, we revisited Back to the Future’s original L.A. shooting locations to see how they look in 2015.

Please respect that some of these locations are on private property. Do not trespass or disturb the owners. Special thanks to Universal Studios Hollywood.  Stay tuned for our coverage of the five-day Back to the Future event, We're Going Back, this October that will feature BTTF trilogy screenings at the original filming locations, hoverboard riding, cast and crew Q&A's, and much more.  All photos by Jared Cowan.  Follow him on Twitter at @JaredCowan1. 

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