| IFYOU GO |
| Indiana, Pa., is 216 miles from Washington, D.C. |
| visitindianacountypa.org |
Large cities excluded, there is something appealingly old-fashioned about a town with two state names. Indiana, Pa., 55 miles east of the booming steel town of big sister Pittsburgh, is just such a place in time. A Main Street art gallery, town hall, cafes, antique shops and boutiques, along with hiking and biking trails, define the town. Indiana is also known as the Christmas Tree Capital of the World. The nation’s first evergreen nursery was established here in 1938, and the area’s nurseries are the largest in the United States. Indiana County boasts more than 200 tree growers today.
There is a genuine feel here in Indiana, a town completely without pretension — very much like its iconic, home-grown hero, James Maitland Stewart.
And as with many local heroes, the town has dedicated a 5,600-square-foot memorial in his honor. Known as the Jimmy Stewart Museum, the building is a monument to its namesake’s wonderful life in film, radio and television. But, more than just a who’s who of Hollywood stars who worked with Stewart on screen, the building’s exhibits highlight his accomplishments as a military hero, family man, civic leader and world citizen. All of these roles are readily accessible to visitors by way of displays, film presentations in its 50-seat theater, and gallery walks.
“We often receive artifacts related to [Stewart’s] father and the hardware store he owned, and to [Stewart’s] cinematic career,” said Tim Harley, the museum’s executive director. “We have movie posters from all his films, awards he received personally … costumes from his Westerns and [his] Reserve Air Force uniforms.”
References to the actor and Stewart’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” character George Bailey are everywhere, from Jimmy Stewart Boulevard to his statue outside the courthouse and the Jimmy Stewart Indiana County Airport.
Indiana also enjoys a reputation for fine art. The Artists Hand gallery just off of Philadelphia Street, the main road through town, is a welcomed and respected venue for local artists.
“We feature 30 local artists [and] have pottery, ceramics, painting, sculpture and fiber arts,” said gallery manager Sandy Trimble. “We are an online business, as well, and this is only our second month as a brick and mortar store. November was good to us and we doubled our sales in December.”
Easy to understand. With pieces of art ranging from $10 to $1,000, everyone can be a collector.
For the culturally minded, Indiana University of Pennsylvania hosts wonderful theater and music events while the local theater troupe, the Indiana Playhouse, is open for business.
This holiday season, the Festival of Lights at Blue Spruce Park runs through Jan. 1 and features more than 80 light displays as visitors drive around the lake in Blue Spruce Park. The festival features 500,000 lights powered by five miles of extension cords.
Walking tours are popular with tourists who appreciate the town’s historic architecture. Two Hampton Inns, a Holiday Inn and the Dillweed Bed & Breakfast accommodate visitors who desire another day in Indiana.
It will probably never be known if Jimmy Stewart was reminded of Indiana, Pa., while playing George Bailey, the small-town hero of Bedford Falls. One thing is sure, however. His was a wonderful life in the vibrant town that honors him today.
