MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Jimmy Carter turns 100 years old today. He is already the oldest living president in U.S. history. But this weekend, at the annual Peanut Festival in Carter's hometown of Plains, Ga., most people just wanted to celebrate him as a neighbor and a friend. Georgia Public Broadcasting's Sofi Gratas reports.
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SOFI GRATAS, BYLINE: The Peanut Express stands ready to go. It's a train that's taking people from the small town of Cordele, Ga., to the Peanut Festival in Plains.
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GRATAS: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter made the annual festival one of the small town's biggest attractions.
SAM MCMURRAY: Because of Jimmy Carter - that was his income back then.
GRATAS: Sam McMurray works on the train. He's referring to Carter's legacy as a peanut farmer from Plains.
MCMURRAY: I tell everybody here that our train is longer than the whole town.
GRATAS: This train runs on the same track used by Carter and his supporters to ride to Washington, D.C. upon his presidential win. The train pulls into the old depot downtown, Carter's former campaign headquarters. Plains was spared the devastation from Hurricane Helene, which passed just east of here. At the festival, people line up for the parade, which only runs the length of about six buildings. Most years, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were in the parade. This year, Carter wasn't there. He's been under home hospice care since last year. That didn't stop the town from sending Carter a message.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: I think it's appropriate now that we all sing happy birthday. And sing loud, so he can hear you up at his house, which is just over the way. Are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Singing) Happy birthday to you.
GRATAS: It's hard to walk through Plains without bumping into one of the Carters' neighbors, like Martha Fennessy.
MARTHA FENNESSY: They used to walk in front of my house all the time.
GRATAS: To celebrate, Fennessy made a special costume for her dog, Abby.
FENNESSY: I made her a sign that said, happy birthday President Carter. Happy 100th birthday.
GRATAS: She says she misses seeing the Carters around. Rosalynn died just last November.
FENNESSY: They made you feel special.
GRATAS: And it's not just neighbors that are here to celebrate. Bo Bancroft and wife Allison came here from Atlanta. Both are wearing T-shirts that say, Carter-Mondale '76. Though there's not much mention of the upcoming presidential election at the festival, Bancroft says Carter's birthday is the perfect time to think forward to the ballot box.
BO BANCROFT: He stood for integration, acceptance, loving everyone. That's why this period of time for me, with his birthday, carries so much more resonance.
GRATAS: Even though Carter only served one term, he's well-known for his work promoting human rights and fighting rare diseases post-presidency. Carter went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. For Bancroft, it's worth the trip to celebrate Carter's legacy.
BANCROFT: My birthday message is just, thank you. Thank you for being the type of American that all of us should aspire to be in our lifetime.
GRATAS: Plains will continue to celebrate Carter's 100th birthday today with a ceremony for 100 new U.S. citizens, a flyover and a concert in town.
For NPR News, I'm Sofi Gratas in Plains, Ga.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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