01/25/2026
Tex Hoppus, the father of Blink-182 co-founder and bassist Mark Hoppus, was honored with the Key to the City by the city of Ridgecrest, California. The recognition highlights his local ties and celebrates the Hoppus family’s connection to the desert town where Mark, now a famed musician, grew up. Ridgecrest is noted for being Mark’s hometown and the place where his early influences took shape before he and Blink-182 rose to international pop-punk success.
City leaders praised Tex Hoppus as a local hero whose dedication to preserving Ridgecrest’s history has had a profound impact. Through his leadership with the Ridgecrest Historical Society, Hoppus helped revitalize the Historic USO Building and preserve several important landmarks, including the original county jail, firehouse, Quonset huts, and a 1905 one-room schoolhouse that now serves as the Veteran’s Memorial Building. The honor highlights Hoppus’ effective and visionary leadership in safeguarding the city’s heritage for future generations.
Our guy, Tex Hoppus, gets a key to the city. Bravo!
