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Written by Rick Brown.

Those immortal song lyrics come from Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee and fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp’s classic rock tune entitled “Pink Houses.” On my return trip to Michigan from Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon, I decided to follow the road less traveled and was fortunate enough to visit one very proud small town for an hour or so and take in some of the local history and culture.

Most small towns cannot claim a legendary icon as their native son or daughter. Charming Fairmount, Indiana, set amid a patchwork quilt of rural farms and with an population of approximately 3,000, has been the home to two of them, James Dean and Jim Davis.              

James Dean had one of those magnetic personalities that has kept him recognizable and in the public spotlight even 57 years after his tragic death at the age of 24.  He was born, raised, attended high school, and was later buried in Fairmount.  James Dean was the epitome of “cool”  and the local tourism and economic development agencies have successfully used the theme of ”cool” to promote Fairmount and surrounding Grant County as the birthplace of cool.

Jim Davis, the creator and cartoonist of the Garfield comic strip was raised in Fairmount as well. 

 The local history museum highlights both men’s hometown years, as well as their fame.

A separate museum/gallery is dedicated specifically to James Dean and there is a tour guide/map of the famous sights related to his life and death.

 But Fairmount is so much more that its two famous sons. It is one of the best remaining examples I have found of a “traditional small town” in the Midwest.  Proud citizens, tidy homes and farms, a compact and reasonably healthy main street business district, and a sense of long-term strength and stability, even in these difficult economic times, combine to make Fairmount quite special.  The fact that it has not been overrun by rampant sprawl is also endearing.

While not totally bypassed by the Interstate Highway system, Fairmount is situated five miles west of I-69, exit 54 between Indianapolis and Marion. As it turns out, the town’s distance from the expressway has been a blessing in disguise for Fairmount. You don’t find a monotonous string of highway commercial establishments along State Route 26 leading either direction out of town, like you can in so many nameless places that are in close proximity to an exit. Instead, in Fairmount you find a closely-knit community that has virtually seen no commercial sprawl. This makes Fairmount, Indiana refreshingly unique from a rural and small town planning perspective and very, very special. Other small towns that want to preserve their identity and integrity should consider looking to Fairmount for guidance. Whether it was sheer luck or perseverance does not matter- the fact is Fairmount stands out from the crowd. Hopefully, the residents realize their good fortune and strive to maintain the town’s charm and innocence. It would be a terribly sad thing to lose in our throw-away society.

Next time you are wandering through Indiana or other states of the American Midwest, consider taking the road less traveled. You may just stumble across a “cool” small town like Fairmount, Indiana of your very own.

MARION, Ind. – Whether you’re cooking as a gift or you’re buying for a cook, whether you want a fashion-forward purse or you want a home-style handbag, whether you want to ride your motorcycle in style or sit in your family room in comfort, Grant County has it.

 We have a range of gifts conveniently located around the county, which makes shopping easier and helps the local economy. (Here’s a quick economics lesson: Based on research, every dollar spent in Grant County turns over seven times – it touches seven other people once it’s spent. There is solid logic to the phrase “Shop locally.”)

Kitchen Necessities, 1044 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, is the state’s oldest gourmet shop, and it has foods, flavorings and gadgets for the cook planning to whip up some gifts or for the person who wants to make a cook smile on Christmas morning.

“We’ve stocked up on Christmas goodies for cooking or for gifts,” says Kitchen Necessities owner Jeanie McCarty. “We have a whole range of gifts for $25 or less – utensils, small appliances, cookware and some great gadgets for stocking-stuffers. If someone has a need – as a cook or for a gift for a cook – we can meet that need.”

Store hours for Kitchen Necessities: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Malia’s Handbags, 237 W. Third St., directly across from the Marion Post Office, is one of the newest shops in the area.

“Just about every woman carries a handbag, and if she wants something that’s designer, fashion-forward and has urban flair, we have it,” says store owner Mary Marin. “The store is unique to Marion; no other store has these designer brands. They’re genuine brands, no knock-offs.”

Among the brands at Malia’s Handbags are Apple Bottom, Coogi, Phat and Dereon. Men aren’t left out: Malia’s carries wallets and Red Ape cologne.

The store’s hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Comforts of Home isn’t a new business for Grant County, but it has a brand-new home. Long a staple of downtown Marion, Comforts of Home has a larger, more modern and all-on-one-floor new home at 5340 S. Strawtown Pike, at the intersection of Ind. 37 and Ind. 22.

“We’re the largest furniture and bedding store in the area,” says owner Sherry French. “We are triple the size of the old store, and we are all on one level. No more stairs to cope with.”

Among the furniture brands at Comforts of Home are LA Z BOY, Flex Steel and Tempur-Pedic. The store also offers residential and commercial design services.

The extended holiday hours for Comforts of Home are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Ride & Leather’s owner, Pat Mitchell, understands comfort is something motorcyclists appreciate. Many riders look to Mitchell for comfortable custom-made motorcycle seats as well as apparel and accessories.

Mitchell, whose shop is at 320 S. Main St., Jonesboro, has blended art and science to create a motorcycle seat – and ride – of unparalleled comfort. Mitchell also does custom seat designs as well. For example, Mitchell has custom-fitted Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Harley-Davidson with a Ride & Leather seat sporting the state seal.

“Our shop offers custom work and personal service,” Mitchell says. “We create custom seat covers from various leathers, including buffalo, snake and lamb. I will hand-stitch and paint patterns to order.”

It’s a once-of-a-kind ride, straight from Grant County.

Primitive Post owner Brenda Hulce appreciates hand-craftsmanship as well. Her shop at 120 S. Main St., Fairmount, is filled with skillfully and patiently crafted decorative items and furnishings.

“We have cupboards, pie safes, pantry boxes, butter churns – whatever you need for a country-style or farmhouse decor,” she says. “We have lots of locally handmade Christmas decorations, too. I am a big believer in supporting local crafts people.”

If it’s country, primitive flair you’re looking for, the Primitive Post can help. The store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Pro Prints, 1424 W. 35th St., Marion, has all the colors of the holidays and then some. The colors of the season may be red, white and green for Christmas and blue for Hanukkah, but they can also include purple, gold, black and silver. All of those would cover the colors of our area high schools and colleges, and they’re available on shirts, hats and other gear from Pro Prints.

If you want team spirit as well as holiday spirit, then you’ll want to visit Pro Prints, where you can find Giants, Indians, Golden Eagles, Argylls, Panthers, Lions, Trojans and Wildcats items. If you need custom-designed items, Pro Prints can help, too.

The store’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

These Grant County merchants and many more are ready to help you make it a brighter, happier holiday season. 

For more information on holiday shopping and events in Grant County, visit the Marion-Grant County Convention and Visitors Bureau calendar of events.

Marion's Mississinewa Riverwalk shines with the Walkway of Lights.

It was only a small item in the local newspaper, but it was an early reminder of one of the brightest spots of the holiday season. The item was an invitation to participate in Marion’s annual Christmas City Walkway of Lights Parade on Nov. 19. That’s good information in its own right, but it’s a pleasant hint about something else: It means the Walkway of Lights begins its shining glory that day.

 Our three-mile-long Walkway of Lights runs along the river, the Mississinewa Riverwalk and through Matter Park. More than 2.5 million lights illuminate more than 120 displays that bring thousands of smiles in the six weeks between Nov. 19 and New Year’s Eve.

 “We’ve changed locations for some of the displays, such as the Ice Castle, to keep the Walkway fresh, and we’ve incorporated the new Gardens of Matter Park into the display,” said Marion Parks Director Belinda Hussong. “We’re also switching to LED bulbs, which are brighter, use less electricity and last longer.”

 The Garden House will host the annual Christmas Gingerbread Contest, which gives area students the chance to create some edible architecture. For more details about the contest, contact the Parks Department at 765-662-9931.

 This is the 20th anniversary of the Walkway of Lights, born when the city expanded its annual holiday display to the new Mississinewa Riverwalk. The display is one of the largest and longest-running in the U.S. The parade starts at 7 p.m., continuing a new tradition of making the parade an evening affair. After Saturday and continuing through New Year’s Eve, the lights will be on from 6 to 10 p.m. A one-time $5-per-car season pass allows unlimited visits to the Walkway. The admission fees contribute toward the cost of electricity, brochures, admission stickers and the tens of thousands of candy canes handed out by volunteers. The annual electricity bill for the Walkway is about $12,000.

 “We’re proud this project is done without taxpayer money,” Hussong said. “We receive money from admission fees, private donors, sponsorships and local businesses, and all the money goes back into the project. This is really a community project.”

 Near the Matter Park pond, Walkway visitors can warm themselves with coffee, hot cider and hot chocolate and enjoy some cookies and other treats at the Walkway of Lights Gift Shoppe. The shop is open from 6 to 10 p.m. daily through Jan. 30, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas.

 Marion has been known as Christmas City U.S.A. since 1965, when an Indianapolis television station featured the city’s Christmas decorations and came up with the title. Visitors have come from at least 26 states to see the Walkway.

 The weather may be cool – maybe even cold at times – but the Christmas City Walkway of Lights is a heart-warmer.

 For more information about the Walkway of Lights, call the Marion Parks Department, 765-662-9931.

The bad news is that autumn cuts in to cycling time. The good news is that when I get out, it’s worth the effort. Sort of a quality-for-quantity trade.

 I don’t get to take as many after-work bike rides because of the earlier sunset, but the rides I get to take, along with the weekend rides, are rewarding because of the scenery.

 You know all the clichés about fall – all the Mother Nature’s paintbrush/fall palette of colors/canopy of red, green and gold/the carpet of crunching leaves/the change in the air. They exist because they’re true. And no less true in Grant County. 

On a bike, you get a closer look at the beauty around you. Look straight up and instead of the dome light of the car, you see the sky, the clouds, the trees’ canopy of red, green and gold.

You can hear it, too, in the crunch of leaves, in the breeze, in the songs, caws and calls of the birds. That’s a better accompaniment than whatever’s on the radio or CD. Sometimes, there’s not much noise at all. That gives you a chance to enjoy your own company and your own thoughts or the company and thoughts of your riding partners.

And you can smell it. Seasons have their own smells; fall’s outdoor smells are drier, dustier (not always great for sinuses, I must admit) and, well, more outdoorsy. You don’t get that when the car windows are up and the climate controls are working.

Don’t put the bike away just yet. Our back roads still have a lot to offer. My usual rides are in the northern part of the county, usually starting on Frances Slocum Trail or Lagro Road and wandering from there. Or riding the Cardinal Greenway-Sweetser Switch Trail, which connects the Sweetser area, Marion, Gas City and Jonesboro.

Lately, though, I’ve explored some new roads. One ride headed east on Bond Avenue, which becomes Salem Pike, which is Grant County Road 200 North. (It still amazes me how one street or road can have so many names. There are plenty of others like that in the county.) Headed south on Grant County Road 600 East to 200 South. That becomes 38th Street and it connects to the Cardinal Greenway.

The Greenway, in its own right, is a treat to ride, but it can also serve as a jumping-off spot – riding-off spot? – for cyclists.

The county doesn’t have the hills that perhaps Brown or Monroe counties may have, but we have hills that give you a decent workout. This being north-central Indiana, there are plenty of flats, too.  

Doesn’t have to be all bike riding, either. Intrepid Spouse and some friends like breakfast/brunch/lunch rides on Saturday mornings. Ride to Upland, Converse or Gas City, enjoy some good, warm food and ride back home.

We’ve stopped at Jackie’s in Gas City, Ninth Street Café in Marion, Ivanhoes in Upland. Haven’t been disappointed yet. But as good as the food is, the views along the ride are better. You really don’t have to look far to be impressed.

Exploring the county on two self-propelled wheels is worth the effort. The temperature usually cooperates, the sun feels great and, besides that, the exercise is good for you. 

– Mike Cline 

Cumberland Covered Bridge

Indiana’s Mississinewa River Valley – Top Ten Free Attractions

Summer is free and easy in the Mississinewa River Valley in East Central Indiana.   The Mississinewa River is a swift flowing tributary that visits several friendly communities on its journey to meet the Wabash River about seventy miles due north of Indianapolis.   A host of free activities and attractions in the Mississinewa River Valley represent the best of the Midwest for a fun and affordable family get-away.

1. Cardinal Greenway This Rails to Trails project provides miles of paved walkway for great hiking or biking.   Trailheads at Jonesboro, Marion, Sweetser provide safe, easy access.

2. Concerts in the Park summer series:  Free Concerts are held all summer in Beaner Linn Park in Gas City, Indiana and at Matter Park in Marion, Indiana.  Bring a picnic and enjoy great music in the great outdoors.

3. Cumberland Covered Bridge  Built in 1877, this magnificent structure spans the Mississinewa River near Matthews, Indiana.  A canoe launch and picnic area  are located at the bridge to provide an afternoon of fun on the banks or on the water. 

4. Garfield Trail - Garfield the Cartoon Cat traces his roots to the Mississinewa River Valley where his creator, Jim Davis was born and raised.  Garfield Statues are located in nine communities throughout the area.  See if you can find them all!

5. James Dean Exhibit - At 5:45 on September 30, 1955 the world lost movie star James Dean but gained a timeless legend. Fairmount, Indiana native James Dean made only three movies in his short life: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant, but the mark he made on an entire culture is his true legacy. Tour the home town of James Dean to see exhibits and landmarks of his early life and career.

6. Marion Public Library Museum   The museum in Marion, Indiana features native American artifacts,  exhibits of Victorian era home and industry, early automotive manufacturing and more.   

7. Miami Indiana Cemetery   Located seven miles north of Marion, Indiana. The Miami Indian Cemetery is the largest Indian Cemetery in Indiana. Established in the mid-1800s on the Miami Indian reservation, it is the burial site of Chief Meshingomesia and members of his tribe.

8. Missisinewa Battlefield     The site of the first victory of the United States Army during the War of 1812,  is located  near State Road #15 along the Mississinewa River north of Marion, Indiana. 

9. Mississinewa Lake State Rec. Area  This 14,000 acre recreation site located seven miles southeast of Peru, Indiana offers excellent fishing, hunting  and boating opportunities and  400 – site campground and family cabins

10. Movies in the Park   The town of Jonesboro, Indiana offers free movies in the community park on select  Saturdays throughout the summer.

For a complete list of activities in the Mississinewa River Valley check out the calendar of events.

Garfield the Cat

Eight Indiana Towns on the New Garfield Trail

 Marion, IN – The Marion/ Grant County Visitors Bureau in Marion, Indiana announces the completion of the Grant County Garfield Trail.  This unique attraction is a scavenger hunt of sorts which includes stops in eight northeast Indiana communities.  An audio tour and maps created by the Visitors Bureau guide visitors from one town to the next to find festive statues of Garfield the Cat

The Garfield Trail is collaboration among the towns of Fairmount, Jonesboro, Gas City, Marion, Matthews, Sweetser, Swayzee, and Van Buren.  The project was initiated in 2006 in honor of the Garfield cartoon creator, Jim Davis, who is an area native. Service clubs and local businesses raised funds for the statues.  Each brightly colored likeness of Garfield sports a different design representing the unique heritage and culture of the community in which it is located.

 Dr. John Lightle, President of the Marion/ Grant County Visitors Bureau, describes the popularity of the new attraction.  “The Garfield Trail has almost universal appeal.  Everyone from families with small children to motorcycle clubs is coming to our county in search of these statues.”  Lightle goes on to explain that the Visitors Bureau hopes visitors will get to know the area in their search for Garfield.  “Each town has interesting things to see and do. We hope people visit restaurants, shops, and historic sites when they are in each town.”

 For more information about the Garfield Trail log on to www.followthefatcat.com  or call the Visitors Bureau at 800-662-9474.

 ABOUT PAWS, INC. – Jim Davis grew up on a farm near Fairmount, Indiana.  Davis created the Garfield character and founded Paws, Inc. in 1981. Paws, Inc. is a privately held company and the sole owner of the copyrights and trademarks for Garfield and Garfield Characters.  Garfield is the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world.  Over 200 million people in 63 countries read Garfield every day. Garfield the Cat is also the star of several books, movies, and a syndicated TV series. 

 Source:  Grant County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Recent graduates and their families are sure to be hungry after Indiana Wesleyan University celebrates its 2011 commencement on April 30 and Taylor University follows up with their graduation on May 21st. In anticipation of all the visitors looking for restaurants in Marion, Indiana and Upland, Indiana, we have compiled a list of some of our local favorites. For an exhaustive list of more eastern Indiana restaurants, check out our “Where to Eat” section. Otherwise, read on for more dining information.

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The Quilters Hall of Fame in the historic Marie Webster house in Marion, Indiana opens its doors today for the 2011 season. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday through December 10.

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The Marion, Jonesboro and Sweetser Switch portions of the Cardinal Greenway trail offer visitors and residents alike a scenic hiking and biking trail through Grant County, Indiana. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy quiet, wooded areas and even some iron truss bridges on the Marion portion of the trail. The Cardinal Greenway is Indiana’s longest paved rails to trails corridor, spanning five counties in eastern Indiana.

And on July 30, avid bikers (or even occasional bikers) can participate in a family-friendly annual bike ride, the Great Greenway Tour. Riders can start at the Jonesboro, Indiana trailhead (near Gas City, Indiana) and participate in an up to 60 mile loop. A moderate registration fee covers a t-shirt and lunch, and riders are encouraged to bike with friends and family. Registration is now open and can be done online.

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