Fairmount Historical Museum

Distinguished People

	Fairmount's most recognized notable, James Dean, rose to fame after starring in three films for Warner Brothers: "East of Eden", "Rebel Without A Cause", and "Giant". After his death in 1955 at the age of 24, this 1949 graduate of Fairmount High became one of the most enduring stars of our time. Buried in Park Cemetery, he grew up on a farm north of town.
	Growing up on a Fairmount farm with 25 cats might not lead most people to a career, but it did for Jim Davis. Nationally syndicated cartoonist and creator of "Garfield", Davis is a 1963 graduate of Fairmount High and a 1967 graduate of Ball State University, Muncie IN.
	Indochina and Indiana are worlds apart, unless you're Emmy Award winning journalist Phil Jones. Jones joined CBS News in 1969, and was a member of the CBS News team that won an Emmy for a series of exclusive reports on the Indochina Air War. He is a 1955 graduate of Fairmount High, and a 1959 graduate of Indiana University.
	Director of the National Hurricane Center, Dr. Sheets is a 1955 graduate of Fairmount High School. After growing up on a small farm near Fairmount, Dr. Sheets went on to receive his bachelor's degree from Ball State University and earned his M.S. and doctorate in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma.