Daycation Destination: Indiana, Pa., is 'Christmas Tree Capital of the World'
Dec. 2—It's the birthplace of a famous Hollywood star and a major holiday destination dubbed the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World."
Take a Daycation Destination trip to Indiana, Pa., set amid the rural, scenic foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in Indiana County, about an hour east of Pittsburgh. It's home to covered bridges, Amish communities, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, outdoor recreation, shopping, dining and historical sights.
"Visitors love the beautiful downtown, small town charm, boutique shops and local dining," said Laura Herrington, executive director of the Indiana County Tourist Bureau.
One of the must-see attractions in Indiana is the Jimmy Stewart Museum, dedicated to honoring the life of the late actor.
A popular draw to downtown Indiana is the festive annual "It's a Wonderful Life Festival," held in the business district.
Employees begin to deck the halls inside the Jimmy Stewart Museum in mid-November each year, setting up about a dozen themed Christmas trees, said Janie McKirgan, executive director of the James M. Stewart Foundation.
"There's a lot of Jimmy-centric things here in Indiana, like his boyhood home on Seventh Street, a statue along Philadelphia Street, his personal Cessna airplane that was refurbished and more," McKirgan said. "He's everywhere. His church is here. There's a lot of stories to be told."
Stewart's two daughters often visit from California and maintain a good working relationship with the foundation.
Allow a few hours to visit the museum's six galleries filled with memorabilia from Stewart's family life, World War II military experience and long Hollywood film, television and radio career.
The rotating exhibits change several times annually and include personal photos, costumes, scripts, movie props, posters, medals and awards and more.
A vintage 50-seat theater shows matinee films inside the museum.
"People come from all 50 states and we get a lot of visitors from England, because Stewart was stationed there during World War II," McKirgan said. "Stewart made 80 movies, so there's usually something somebody likes. He's not just a celebrity, his military service includes 20 dangerous combat missions over Germany and he could've stayed behind a desk, but he insisted on seeing action and so our whole military gallery attracts a lot of veterans."
Stewart participated in the museum's founding and requested that it be humble in size and located in the heart of downtown Indiana so it could benefit the local economy.
Heidi Piurkowsky, 58, of Johnstown recalled meeting Jimmy Stewart in person during a birthday celebration hosted for the star in Indiana.
Piurkowsky recently visited the museum for the first time, a long overdue visit, she said.
"I was at his 75th birthday party," Piurkowsky recalled while visiting the museum Nov. 12. "My sister is a huge Jimmy Stewart fan. It was wonderful."
Stewart's birthday celebration in 1983 included the dedication of his statue — by Stewart himself — on the front lawn of the courthouse at the corner of Eighth and Philadelphia streets.
"Stewart was there for a weekend of events that included a huge parade with thousands of people here," McKirgan said.
For Piurkowsky, mingling with Stewart during his public birthday party celebration has left her with a lifelong cherished memory.
"He was just an awesome man," Piurkowsky said. "He mingled in the crowd and I had cake with him. He was shaking everyone's hands."
Piurkowsky spent several hours at the museum and said she plans to visit again.
"I sit here and look, and sit and just breathe and he's so handsome," Piurkowsky said of her tour time among several rooms chock full of Stewart memorabilia. "I think this is a huge gem."
Christmas tree mecca
The Christmas tree industry took root in Indiana County in 1918 when local farmers Murray C. Stewart, Sam Dible, Walter Schroth, Silas Streams, Fred Musser and others first planted a variety of pines and spruces for the purpose of growing Christmas trees.
The group of Christmas tree growers organized the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association in 1944.
The region gained national recognition in 1956 when an estimated 700,000 trees were cut in the county, leading to the motto still displayed on roadside billboards entering the county, "The Christmas Tree Capital of the World."
That title was bestowed upon Indiana by the Associated Press Dispatch.
During the holiday season, farms open to the public offering live fresh-cut trees, available by selecting one from the fields or choosing one from farm lots.
Brandon and Stacey Mytrysak own the family-operated Mytrysak Family Tree Farm and Greenhouse near downtown Indiana.
Third-generation farmer Brandon Mytrysak is dedicated to continuing the tradition of supplying fresh-cut Christmas trees to the public, with holiday-themed events like wreath classes and family fun weekends that include visits from Santa.
"We're continuing farming with our own farm," the Mystrysaks said. "Frazer fir and concolor are the most popular Christmas trees here and we sell hundreds of trees."
Herrington said the tree farms of Indiana County are a magnet for bus groups.
"It's an opportunity to learn about the Christmas tree growing process and history in general," she said.
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More Daycations:
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—Experience exotic animals at Hovatter's Wildlife Zoo in West Virginia
—Charming riverside retreat Foxburg enchants
—Daycation: Go sky high with skydiving in Mercer
—Blaze a trail with family-focused fun near Clear Creek State Park
—Charming Volant in Lawrence County boasts 30 rural retail options
—Things quiet down in winter in Ohiopyle
—Palace of Gold in West Virginia on National Register of Historic Places
—Steubenville, Ohio, boasts world's largest display of life-sized nutcrackers
—Smicksburg offers a rural retreat 60 miles from Pittsburgh
—Agritourism farm tours offer rural retreats in Waynesburg
—Coshocton, Ohio, America's canal town
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Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .
