[GreaterPhilly] Jim Thorpe things to do

[Brian Mackey]

Information on the town of Jim Thorpe.

 

Jim Thorpe was a Native American Indian who won 2 old medals at the 1912
Summer Olympics in the decathlon and pentathlon. He was said to be the
greatest athlete in the world since he played professional football,
basketball, and baseball. He played a part in the creation of the National
Football League (NFL) and became its first president in 1920. He is buried
in the town that later took his name.

 

The town is home to historic attractions, unique inns, shops, and
restaurants. 

 

Asa Packer Mansion  -- Asa Packer was a coal and railroad magnate who built
the Lehigh Valley Railroad system. His mansion was built in 1861 and was
basically left untouched until it was opened to the public in 1956. It has
the original Victorian-style furnishings and is considered one of the
best-preserved Italianate Villa-style houses in the country. If you admire
furnishings from this era, you'll love the original light fixtures, gas
chandeliers, and stained glass. The tour includes a fascinating story about
the Victorian-era industrialist.

 

HARRY PACKER MANSION - 

Sits next to his father's house, built in 1874, sits on top of a hill.

It's a towering structure with its Gothic design in cream and orange. If it
seems familiar, you should know that it inspired the Haunted Mansion ride at
Disney!

 

Harry Potter Cafe - if you're a fan of the infamous wizarding world! Head to
the Muggles Mug, an adorable Harry Potter-themed coffee shop in the heart of
downtown. You'll find them at the corner of Broadway and Trap Ally.

They have plenty of all your coffee classics and "muggle food!" 

 

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery store and tasting room. - Steps away from the
train station is the Hooven Mercantile Co. building on Susquehanna
Street.While you're at the store, check out the artwork inside. Big Creek
hosts local and international artists and sells their work. Take your time
and enjoy a charcuterie plate, chocolate, or baked goods. You'll see why
regulars are such big fans of their sweet wines and fudge brownies!

 


RAINBOWS END


This old-timey candy store is a treat to visit. It's hard to find places
like Rainbows End these days. From the colorful shop sign to the classic
candy, you'll be taken back to your childhood.


DREISBACH HOUSE


For thrifters and vintage shoppers 

Old Jail Museum - a looming building located where W Broadway meets High
Street. It was an active jail through the 19th and 20th centuries. You can
tour the jail with steel staircases, stone archways, gallows constructed in
the cell block, and 27 cells across 3 floors. You'll even see solitary
confinement cells in the basement and the warden's living quarters.

Mauch Chunk Opera House - open for almost 150 years, making it one of the
oldest vaudeville theaters in the US. Today, the opera house is Jim Thorpe's
primary live performance venue.

 

JIM THORPE MONUMENT - After Thorpe died in 1953, his wife sought a memorial
worthy of his name. When she found out that Mauch Chunk was looking for ways
to attract business, she worked out a deal with the city.

In a controversial move, Thorpe's widow moved his remains to Mauch Chunk, a
town he'd never even visited! You can check out the memorial with his
remains and see 2 statues of Jim as a young athlete. The memorial park is on
the far east end of town on North Street.

 

 

Brian A. Mackey

Brian A. Mackey
Administrative Assistant, Doubletree Reading Hotel
Owner, Mackey Enterprises, LLC
Treasurer & Webmaster, National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania
Webmaster, National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, Delaware,
Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, South Dakota, West Virginia,
Connecticut, Nevada, & Arkansas, 
DeafBlind Division, Seniors Division, and National Organization of Parents
of Blind Children
Secretary & Webmaster, Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association
609-680-8488
 <mailto:Bmackey88 at gmail.com> Bmackey88 at gmail.com

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make
those dreams come true"
      -Vince Papale

 

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