Encounter with James Dean!

On our way home from Portland, Indiana, we stopped in Fairmount Indiana’s Grant County. It was where James Dean lived most of his life. My knowledge of the mega star was really very small. I knew of his role in the movie Rebel Without a Cause and that he died in a car crash. I knew he is probably more famous today than when he died on September 30, 1955. What I didn’t know he grew up on a farm. During our visit we would be able to interview James Dean’s cousin!

James Dean’s Story

James Dean was born on February 8, 1931, in Marion, Indiana. I read there is a Memorial at the birthplace site. His cousin Marcus Winslow shared, “James Dean lived here in Fairmount ages after his mom, Mildred Dean, passed in California. But they had lived here before they went to California so he kind of knew everyone.”

So, the Dean family lived in Fairmount until James, called Jimmie was five. Then they moved to Santa Monica. Here his father Winton worked as a dental technician. Marcus mentioned he was very close to his mother.

In July 1940 his mother died of cancer. His father unable to take care of him sent him back to Fairmount, Indiana. There he lived with his aunt and Uncle Marcus and Ortense Winslow.

Marcus said that Jimmie was like a brother to him. According to the brochure from the James Dean Gallery it stated, “Jimmie attended Fairmount schools and was an average student. He participated in sports and excelled in basketball and track. He was a member of the Debate Club and took part in all of the school plays. Upon graduating from Fairmount High School in 1949, he returned to California and attended Santa Monica City College and later UCLA where he was a theater major and performed in a production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1950).”

In 1952 he moved to New York. He made three movies East of Eden, Rebel Without A Cause and Giant. Only East of Eden was released before his death.

The James Dean Gallery

Our first stop was the James Dean Gallery. The Fairmount Historical Museum was closed during COVID-19. Thankfully owner David Loehr had the gallery open. He was available to share his collection and knowledge with us. David Loehr had collected if not the largest, one of the largest collections of Dean memorabilia around. The collection includes childhood photos, high school yearbooks and personal items of James Dean’s.

Keith and I enjoyed the original movie posters. We loved the stand-up cardboard cutout of Dean. There are also books and magazines, paintings, drawings and sculptures and more along with novelty items.

David Loehr’s interest in James Dean started while living in California. It was after reading a book about him and seeing all three of his movies. Starting in 1982 David Loehr offered a Walking Tour of James Dean’s New York Hangouts for ten years. Then after several visits back and forth to Fairmount opened the James Dean Gallery in 1988. “Over 400,000 people from 46 states and 22 countries visited last year,” David said.

Setting up an interview!

We bought the book James Dean by photographer Dennis Stock.

In this book I saw a picture of James Dean standing in front of a Minneapolis Moline UB on the Winslow farm where he grew up after his mother passed away. We wondered if the tractor was still there. David said yes.

James cousin Marcus still lives on the farm. He granted us an interview about James and the tractor!

At the end of your tour at the James Dean Gallery David hooks you up with a map of the sites around town. He is very generous with his time and information. The book we purchased the book James Dean by Dennis Stock is a photo essay of James Dean in New York and in Fairmount. David Loher mentioned if it had not been for that book, they would not have many of the pictures of Dean in his hometown. He came home for this photo essay. Dennis Stock captured him and his essence on the farm and high school haunts.

Stops

There are several stops to see. There is the Back Creek Friends Church where the Winslow family went to church. Then there is the Carter’s Motorcycle Shop. This is where Marcus said his father bought James his first cycle. There is of course the James Dean Gallery and the Fairmount Historical Museum. Dean’s Gravesite and Mildred Dean’s Gravesite is also on the map as well as the Armes Funeral Home. Keith and I enjoyed posing like James Dean downtown as well.

The Interview with Marcus Winslow, James Dean’s cousin.

Marcus Winslow was gracious to let us visit the Winslow farm. This is where James Dean spent most of his growing up years. He shared with us that Dennis Stock of Life Magazine came and took pictures. Watch for an article about the Minneapolis UB in an upcoming issue of Farm World!

The Wrap on our visit to see James Dean!

We loved our visit to Fairmount. We learned that Dean was not a rebel at all. According to the information we found, he was a quiet studious young man. He loved to act and loved speed! Dean loved his family and to watch others, and is an icon that lives on in pictures, films and the image that Hollywood has built. To see the real James Dean, head to Fairmount. For more stories about Indiana history, check out my blog on Wayne County, and Elkhart Indiana!