John Wayne Museum honors Winterset, Iowa, native
Most people recognize him as the “Duke.” For folks around Winterset, Iowa, has was Marion. Marion Morrison was born in the central Iowa community in 1907. His family lived in rural Iowa until 1914, when the family moved to California. His father was a pharmacist and sought a better opportunity out west.
Morrison excelled at sports in high school and landed a football scholarship to the University of Southern California. He later left school after an off-field injury costs him his football career.
Morrison’s acting career started in roles as an extra or uncredited actor. His first film appearance was in “Brown of Harvard,” as a Yale football player.
John Wayne started his trek toward becoming a household name and big screen star in 1930’s “The Big Trail.” His career took off from there. His real breakthrough role in John Ford’s “Stagecoach” in 1939. Wayne finished his Hollywood career with 178 show credits.
Winterset has always been proud of its native son. His childhood home was turned into a living memory. I remember stopping by in the early 2000s with friends and Lisa to check out the house.
The John Wayne Birthplace and Museum opened in 2015 as another honor for the star. It’s small. Admission is $15 per adult. The museum consists of a small theater which shows a few clips from his movies. The seats are actually from the old Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
The exhibit room is packed with personal mementos, property, movie props and honors.
Wayne’s family station wagon and pictures of his yacht are on display.
A mannequin resembling Wayne stands in front of a backdrop of Monument Valley, California. The area has been used for several movies, including many of Wayne’s westerns.
Wardrobe outfits and props from a few of his movies include “Big Jake,” “The Cowboys” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.”
A small statue depicting Wayne carrying actress Maureen O’Hara is displayed for the movie “The Quiet Man.” O’Hara attended the opening of the museum.
My favorite Wayne movie was “True Grit.” He won the Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn, a one-eyed heavy drinking marshal in search for the bad guys. The movie also starred Glen Campbell (one of my all-time favorite singers) and a young Kim Darby. The jacket he wore and a statue of his character on horseback are included in the exhibit.
Besides “True Grit,” I’d have to say my other favorite John Wayne movies were “The Longest Day,” “Rooster Cogburn,” “The Cowboys (mainly for a young A Martinez – a big fan of his) and “The Green Berets.”
Wayne was the lead actor in almost every movie following “The Big Trail.” Wayne was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor twice during his career, winning for “True Grit.” he had his star added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1950.
Outside the museum, a series of tiles featuring many of Wayne’s movies line the plaza walkway.
His childhood home is open for tours as part of the museum’s admission. The small one-story house sits on a corner. Wayne apparently didn’t return to Winterset after his family moved. But, as our tour guide informed us, people reported seeing a limo stop in front of the house for a few minutes through the years. Was it Marion Morrison returning to visit his childhood memories? No one knows.
The house has four rooms – an entry parlor, living room, bedroom and a kitchen. It was cramped for a family. The family rented the house and later moved to another Iowa town, before embarking on the California adventure that changed Marion Morrison into American icon John Wayne.
The John Wayne Museum adds to the attractions for Winterset. The area offers visitors some great historical attractions, including the Bridges of Madison County (covered bridges).
We enjoyed our visit to the museum. Though, I felt the admission fee of $15 a bit steep for a smaller museum. But, I’m sure John Wayne fans won’t care about that, because of the exhibits.
For more information on the museum, including address and hours, please visit www.johnwaynebirthplace.museum.
