Behind the Scenes: Fairmount
I love little towns. Love exploring their historical markers, their unique downtowns, their architecture, their parks. And usually you don't have to deal with the crowds you would run into in the big cities, the tourist traps, the "destinations". One thing I do not enjoy, though, is when a town keeps grasping at ghosts, getting stuck in their past. I moved to Indiana in 1994, living in a small town in the north central region called Tipton. Every year I would hear about a festival up in the town of Fairmount celebrating their most famous one time resident: James Dean. I never got a chance to participate in their festivities, but being part of the poetry community, I got to hear every romantic poem about the town and their native son. While trying to find a new place to start a poetry club, a friend of mine suggested we check out Fairmount's library. After making a few phone calls to set up a date and spreading the word to ...