In 1956 actor James Dean was killed in an automobile accident. His body was brought back to Fairmount, where funeral services were held in the Fairmount Friends Church. Dean was buried in Park Cemetery just beyond the town's northern limit. Since that time fans of James Dean have come to visit his grave, leaving him flowers and other tokens of love and respect.
Park Cemetery is located just beyond the Fairmount town limit. Enter Fairmount from Indiana state road 26 until you reach the flashing red light. Turn north and drive half a mile (about a kilometer). There are several entrances to the cemetery, but the main one is marked by a nearby gatetop in the hollow to the left.
The path forks just beyond the entrance; take the right path along the creek. Drive until you reach the second road on your right. James Dean's grave is along this road. A sign posted at the fork can also guide you.
The tombstone in the picture above (for those of you who can see it) is the second one marking the site. The original had to be removed after the morbid among the countless visitors to the grave chipped off bits of it as souvenirs.
The new tombstone—which differs from the original in Dean's middle name Byron, which is initialed rather than spelt out—is also showing signs of abuse. As a fellow citizen of James Dean's home town, I must ask that if you got to have a souvenir of your visit, get it at the Fairmount Historical Museum.