John Wayne Birthplace - Winterset, Iowa

On May 26, 1907, Marion Morrison was born in this house in Winterset, Iowa. The Morrisons moved away when he was just a baby, and by the time he was seven, they had relocated to southern California. But the people of Winterset haven't forgotten that the child who later became famed actor John Wayne had his roots right here.

The small, four-room house, just off John Wayne Avenue on 2nd Street, is well preserved and filled with John Wayne memoribilia. The woman who gave our group a short tour ("No photos inside, please.") was filled with knowledge of Wayne's career and could seemingly answer any question about his professional and personal life.

Some of the questions: How tall was he? 6'4" (not 6'6" as is sometimes claimed.) How many times was he married? Three. Did he ever come back to Winterset after he became famous? No. His father worked here as a druggist and moved on to another job in another town. They had no family here.