John Wayne Birthplace

While touring the Bridges of Madison County, we passed through the town of Winterset a few times as it was in the center of the county.  It was in this little town of Winterset that on May 26, 1907, Marion Robert Morrison was born.  You may have never heard that name before but I'm sure you've heard his stage name... John Wayne.

John Wayne was born in a small four-bedroom house that has since been restored to its 1907 appearance.  The house now stands as a museum filled with an impressive collection of John Wayne memorabilia, hundreds of photographs, and letters from famous people.  His newspaper birth announcement is part of the memorabilia in the house and states "A thirteen-pound son arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Morrison Monday morning."  Thirteen pounds!  That large baby grew up to be a 6'4" American icon and the epitome of masculinity despite being named Marion.  He is an acclaimed part of American film history.

John Wayne only lived in this house for the first three years of his life but that was enough to make the house a tourist attraction that draws in tens of thousands of visitors a year.

I suppose there aren't too many other tourist attractions in Iowa competing for this award ;)

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"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."

~John Wayne