4 minute read
GET AWAY TO JIM THORPE
Dr. Irene Zeiset, D.C. S.S., Narvon
Now offering:
• KST Chiropractic technique - I use this gentle yet very effective adjusting to help relieve pain and other dysfunction in the body • Soft tissue treatment (Active Release Soft Tissue Techniques© practitioner for 16 years) • Chiropractic care can help strengthen your immune system! • Hope for reducing reliance on pharmaceutical medications!
Serving Lancaster County For Over 30 Years! www.chiroplus.net
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BY CARA O’DONNELL FOR WHERE & WHEN PENNSYLVANIA
With a storied past, the quaint charms of a European village and the outdoor recreation of a mountain sports destination, the town of Jim Thorpe is a must-see town tucked into the Pocono Mountains. Jim Thorpe is a destination rich with history and is often called the “Switzerland of America” because of its scenic views. Its unique Victorian architecture pays homage to its roots of coal mining and industrialism, which today house unique shops and eateries, museums and galleries and popular entertainment venues. With its nostalgic feel coupled with unique history and exciting recreation, Jim Thorpe is a favorite for weekend getaways for many types of travelers.
But to truly understand Jim Thorpe’s appeal, one must first look at its roots. Originally named Mauch Chunk, the town was pivotal to America’s industrial development as a main transport area for coal mining. The coal mined throughout what’s now known as the Pocono Mountains was transported from Mauch Chunk to Eastern markets via the Lehigh River, which helped to build the local economy and establish the community as an independent leader in a growing industrial market. Many of the transportation systems of the era, including canals, locks, dams and early gravity railroads, are still a strong part of the community’s culture today.
The focus on coal and modern transportation methods brought early 19th-century entrepreneurs to the area, including Asa Packer, a Connecticut native and carpenter by trade. Packer realized the opportunity the coal region held and used his skills to build and repair canal boats to transport coal, eventually establishing the firm of A. & R. W. Packer, which built canal boats and locks for the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company. Packer and his family settled in Mauch Chunk.
Packer’s sights were set even higher on finding ways to use technology to transport the region’s rich coal resources. In the mid-1850s, Packer took control of a railway line from Mauch Chunk to Easton and connected railway lines to the coal mines in Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. Known as the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, the line eventually extended into the Susquehanna Valley and New York
Café $2 +tax
Now thru 11/7
A carriage ride through the streets of Jim Thorpe is a great way to see the quaint shops and beautiful architecture.
state to connect with the Erie Railroad, effectively growing the region’s industrial reach even farther and establishing Mauch Chunk as a center of industrial commerce, tourism and entertainment.
Today, visitors can get a glimpse of Packer’s success with a visit to the Asa Packer Mansion, a National Historic Landmark that overlooks the Lehigh River and Mauch Chunk National Historic District and that remains much like it did when first constructed in 1861 as a memorial to Packer and his accomplishments. Visitors can learn more about Packer’s successes as a businessman and his work as a philanthropist through guided tours held throughout the day at the 17-room Italianate villa.
If you want to experience a little of what it was really like to live as a Packer you can stay at the Harry Packer Mansion Inn, just down the street from the Asa Packer Mansion. Harry Packer, the elder Packer’s son, lived in the Victorian mansion, complete with 15-foot ceilings, marble fireplaces and gilded mirrors reflecting the elegance of the Victorian age. Guests can enjoy period furnishings and artwork at the inn and even take part in special wine tastings or murder mystery weekends, a nod to the fact that the home was the inspiration for Walt Disney World’s “Haunted Mansion.” See Jim Thorpe pg 10
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