James Dean Museum to Close at End December

December 13,2005 | GAS CITY, Ind. -- A museum chronicling the short life of "Rebel Without a Cause" star James Dean will close Dec. 31. Owner David Loehr moved the James Dean Gallery to Gas City from Fairmount, where Dean attended high school, less than two years ago.

Although attendance had increased, it wasn't enough to match the cost of maintaining the temperature-controlled building, Loehr said Monday.

"The operating expenses and upkeep and payments are just more than we can handle," he said. "I'm just getting further into debt and I just can't do it anymore."

Dean, who was born in Marion in 1931, was killed in a car crash in Cholame, Calif., in 1955 at age 24. His movies also included "East of Eden" and "Giant." Loehr opened the museum and gift shop in 1988 in a house near downtown Fairmount. After an electrical fire in early 2004, Loehr moved the gallery to the new 7,200-square-foot building near Interstate 69.

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8EFEQA01.html

"No, that's Jimmy."
I wonder how many remember, or have even heard of James Dean?
The epitome of cool.
And yes, I went right out and bought a red windbreaker.
Still have one.

:toast: