In 1954, Mauch Chunk sought to reinvent itself by changing its name to Jim Thorpe, after the legendary Olympic athlete, in deference to his widow, who asked if he could be buried there and a monument built in his honor. Under its former name, the town was a thriving center for the coal industry until it suffered an economic decline in the 1920’s with the collapse of the coal mines. I easily pictured Blanche DuBois from “A Streetcar Named Desire” leaning languidly over the railing while sipping lemonade through a straw on a hot summer night in New Orleans.įounded in 1815, the town was originally called Mauch Chunk, which means “Mountain of Sleeping Bear” in the language of the Lenape tribe. We stayed at the Inn at Jim Thorpe, an elegant red-brick structure reminiscent of the French Quarter with a second-story balcony which has an ornate, wrought-iron railing and a lazy ceiling fan. And at nighttime, trees along the main street are lit up with Christmas lights, even in the middle of summer. Picturesque Jim Thorpe, Pa.Ī carillon chimes peaceful melodies in the quiet of the afternoon, serenading residents in rocking chairs on their front porches. Colorful houses, cozy cafes, and whimsical shops line its narrow streets. Almost hidden in the scenic valley of the Lehigh River Gorge, Jim Thorpe combines the ambiance of a Swiss hamlet with the character of a Victorian village. We visited Jim Thorpe in August and were instantly attracted to its charm. There you can step back in time, escaping from your present turmoil while indulging in a slower pace of life and savoring old-fashioned treats from the past. Tucked away in the picturesque Pocono Mountains of Eastern Pennsylvania is the quaint and historic town of Jim Thorpe.
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