Aug. 12, 2007
The Pennsylvania town now known as Jim Thorpe was established in 1818 as Mauch Chunk and developed as a mining town for anthracite coal, known as “black diamonds.” Filled with fascinating architecture, as well as intriguing history, it sits alongside the Lehigh River, a Victorian village set in an alpine setting.
Built in 1849, the Inn at Jim Thorpe rests in the middle of the town’s National Historic District. Originally constructed in 1833 as the White Swan Hotel, it burned down in 1849 and was rebuilt immediately as the New American Hotel. It flourished for decades, hosting prestigious guests such as John D. Rockefeller, Thomas Edison and President William H. Taft.
The Depression, however, brought difficult times, especially for the dwindling mining industry. The hotel fell into disrepair. It was not until it was purchased by John Drury in 1988 and restored that it attained its current state, elegantly renovated and offering forty-five unique rooms to visitors.
A frequent location advantage of staying in historic hotels is being within walking distance of just about everything the town has to offer. Shops, galleries, casual cafes and fine dining are all just a short stroll away. Sites of historic interest, such as the Asa Packer Mansion, St. Mark’s Church, The Old Jail Museum and the Mauch Chunk Museum are all a convenient distance from the inn.
The inn itself is intricate and intriguing, with both standard guest rooms and suites and a wrought iron balcony that offers panoramic views of the town. Downstairs, The Emerald Restaurant and Molly Maguire’s Pub allow guests easy access to food and drink. The inn is reported to be haunted, though the spirits allowed me to visit without any incidents of doors slamming or vacant chairs moving.
Originally named Mauch Chunk, the Native American term for “sleeping bear,” the town changed its name to Jim Thorpe in 1954, in honor of the athlete who finished first in nine out of fifteen track and field events during the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jim Thorpe has been called the “Greatest Athlete in the World,” having been told by King Gustav V, upon completing the Olympic events, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world.” To this, Thorpe simply replied, “Thanks, King.”
Controversially, he was stripped of his gold medals when it was discovered that he had earlier been paid a small fee to play minor league baseball. The medals were eventually restored, but not until 1982, 30 years after his death.
Though Jim Thorpe was born in Oklahoma and his family had wanted him buried there, his widow arranged to have him buried in a mausoleum on the east side of the Pennsylvania town, having heard they were actively looking for a name change to bring in tourism. In this manner, the town purposely reinvented itself in order to draw tourist business.
In 1927 a railway was built to transport coal from the mines on Summit Hill down to the canal and river below in town. Switchback Gravity Railroad was the second railroad in America and continued on after its mining use faded away, allowing passengers to ride the rail cars. The railway was closed in 1933 and the equipment was sold as scrap several years later.
A hiking and biking trail, eighteen miles long, now exists where the popular railway once ran. The Switchback Gravity Railroad Foundation is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine the possibility of rebuilding a portion of the route. A thirty ft. replica of the railway is on display at the Mauch Chunk Museum.
The museum website notes that the revitalization of the town was more the product of decades of marketing the area than the result of bringing Jim Thorpe to the town. Regardless of how the reinvention came to be, the town of Jim Thorpe, PA, is well worth a visit.