Hollywood legend James Dean hailed from rural Indiana. Fairmount still celebrates the legend and tells the stories of the young man behind the persona.
He was born in Marion, Indiana and lived in California for a while until his mother died. His father sent him back to Indiana to live with relatives in Fairmount.
Here he lived on a farm with an aunt and uncle who doted on him and their young son who he thought of as a little brother.
James, or Jimmy as they call him around town, graduated from Fairmount High School before moving back to California to live with his father and stepmother. Believe it or not, he enrolled in Santa Monica College to study pre-law before transferring to UCLA to study drama. He eventually dropped out of college entirely to pursue acting.
But I think Jimmy always considered Fairmount his home and he certainly was the town's favorite son.
There's the James Dean Gallery, located in a historic home and filled with movie memorabilia, clippings and some rather unusual artifacts. Then there's the Fairmount Historical Museum with an outstanding collection of James Dean's personal possessions that have been given to them by that young cousin who he thought of as a brother. That little boy is now an elderly man who still lives on his family's farm. It is a working farm but he still welcomes visitors to stop for pictures.
Close to the farm is the motorcycle shop where Jimmy hung out, the Quaker church where he worshipped with his family and the cemetery where he is laid to rest.
There are sign murals like the one pictured above and a remnant of his high school - the old stage where he first discovered acting. He's even on the water tower.
Agriculture, rails, patriotism and small town spirit are alive and well in this town of about 2,900. I really liked it there because it's quaint and small and hasn't succumbed to the commercialism some other places might embrace in favor of making a buck off their legendary former resident.
And make no mistake, people do come - both young and adult James Dean fans come looking for more about the screen legend who died too young.
I'm going to break up my day in Fairmount in a few stories because there's a lot more to say than meets the eye.
Tomorrow we begin at the beginning with the family farm he called home.
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