On his 75th birthday, a chorus of some 3,000 fans and friends sang “Happy Birthday” to Jimmy Stewart outside the courthouse in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The actor and WWII veteran never lost love for his hometown, and Indiana never stopped being proud of him.
Today is the It’s a Wonderful Life The museum honors his life, career in movies and wartime experiences. A 9-foot-tall statue of Jimmy stands across the street from where his father’s hardware store used to be and, fittingly, the local airport is named for the actor who distinguished himself with 20 combat missions over enemy lines
“This is where I sort of made up my mind about certain things,” Jimmy said on what would be his final visit home in 1983. “About hard work being worth it, about community spirit, about the importance of family, about the importance of God and the church.”
Located about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, the Indiana of Jimmy’s boyhood was a place where everyone knew their neighbors. Alexander, Jimmy’s father, owned J.M. Stewart, a 3-story building…
