Fairmount is a small community with a famous pedigree
James Dean was the personification of 1950s California cool, but the late actor spent much of his childhood in Fairmount. This east-central Indiana locality wears its connection to Dean like a badge of honor, touting The James Dean Museum and a James Dean Festival that draws thousands annually. Fairmount’s water tower features a painting of Dean and of Garfield — Jim Davis, the comic’s creator, also grew up here. Present-day residents fill a community packed with classic houses, and its small-town feel persists despite its notoriety as the home of Dean and Davis. “When you go to Fairmount, you feel like you’re in Mayberry,” says Cathy Hunnicutt of Re/Max Realty One, who’s among Indiana’s top agents with over 100 sales per year. “Which is an amazing, wonderful feeling.”
Fairmount offers a snapshot of classic architecture
Many of the area’s homes date to a period from the turn of the 20th century through the middle of the century. The community’s narrow, quiet residential streets offer a sampling of classic bungalow, Craftsman and ranch-style architecture. “Fairmount has some really beautiful older homes,” Hunnicutt says. “Well-preserved, gorgeous — I mean, gorgeous — older homes.” However, there are some modern New Traditional houses in spots, built in the 1990s and early 2000s. Properties sell for $70,000 to $400,000, based on condition and lot size, which can sometimes top an acre.
Downtown includes an eclectic mix of restaurants and other businesses
Main Street makes up Fairmount’s downtown, smack dab in the middle of this area. The James Dean Museum anchors downtown, at the corner of Main and Washington streets. The facility houses the largest collection of Dean’s personal belongings globally, including multiple motorcycles, photos and clothes. “James Dean is a huge attraction,” Hunnicutt says. The museum is less than a block from The Branch, a cafe operated by the Fairmount Wesleyan Church, with a menu that includes the cinnamon-and-brown-sugar-flavored James Dean Latte. Hunnicutt says Grains & Grill is popular, a restaurant known in part for its rib-eye steaks. Bad Dad Brewing Co. next door has a selection of over 10 beers. Fairmount Pro Hardware offers all sorts of products for home and yard, and Horner’s Market has groceries.
James Dean Festival takes over in late September
Held on the last weekend of every September, the James Dean Festival is Fairmount’s signature event. Hunnicutt says that people come from all over the world for the festival, which is roughly 50 years old and includes live music, carnival rides, a parade and a car show. The event happens around the same time as the Ducktail Run Rod & Custom Car Show in nearby Gas City, another big draw. The two events flood the region with visitors. “You have to book your hotels almost a year in advance because there’s so many people, not just from the United States but from overseas, that come in,” Hunnicutt says.
Area schools present hands-on learning opportunities
The local Madison-Grant United School Corporation gets a B-minus grade on Niche. The B-minus-rated Summitville Elementary covers kindergarten through second grade. Students at the C-plus-rated Park Elementary, where there are grades 3 through 6, get hands-on experiences like making their own flour to demonstrate the food production process. Madison-Grant Jr./Sr. High School has a B-minus rating and offers opportunities including CNA certification through Leffler Academy in Gas City.
Parks provide opportunities for recreation and relaxation
Playacres Park is the centerpiece of Fairmount’s park system, stretching almost 13 acres just south of downtown. The space encompasses a 1-mile trail, a playground and a pavilion available for rent. James Dean Memorial Park downtown is a passive space, with benches to sit and enjoy lunch or a book, under shade trees.
Cities including Marion, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis are close
Fairmount residents are just about 11 miles south of Marion, whose Marion Health-MGH Campus hospital features a 24-hour emergency room. Fort Wayne is a 55-mile trip, and the Fort Wayne International Airport has nonstop flights to about a dozen destinations. Indianapolis, the state capital, is 76 miles away.
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
