I'm a PA native and I've been around Europe as well..... I visited Jim Thorpe once last fall. It's a beautiful and very scenic town but I think it's a bit overkill to call it "The switzerland of America".... it is nothing like Switzerland. It has it's own charm and beauty. Just leave it at that. I feel like the town would benefit greatly from having some kind of Amtrak line going through it. Parking can be a nightmare depending when you go and traffic around the area is such a headache.
Amerikkkans think that if there isn't a Starbucks and a red lobster every 2m, then it's european🤣😅this is a podunk little American town. Nothing more Fuckin Switzerland 😅😅😅
The Switzerland of America was what it was named about a century ago. It used to be destination for city folk to vacation at summer hotels for exercise, clean air and to enjoy nature. Most of those grand hotels burnt or were razed. It was named because it was nestled in between many large steep hills and peaks. It was essentially the first place where people rode the old coal gravity railroad for fun. Teddy Roosevelt even came to ride it before it was dismantled.
Sometimes driving through the mountainous areas of the USA (Colorado, New England, etc), I'll see a house or resort area built up to look like a Swiss village. Why try to be something else when the local American-style buildings have their own charm and style?
I live in Hazleton, 12 miles north of Jim Thorpe. It has become a very busy and growing area in the past few years. Glad to see others enjoying it. You missed the key story of the jail. Lore is an innocent man on day of his execution swore to god he was innocent and to this day his hand print on the wall. It wont wash away. The town is known for its antiques and homemade artwork as well. The Emporium of Curious goods store was a very original playhouse. It used to hold psychic mediums and all sorts of paranormal items. Very unique gem of the area. Fall is my favorite time there. Each weekend has different themes with local vendors in addition to the shops and winery.
Thanks for all this great information and the tips. Maybe will have to make a Jim Thorpe part 2 and include all of your suggestions. Thanks for watching!
My family’s from Hazleton too! Your info is spot on. Watch the movie “Molly Maguires” to understand the “hand print” prisoner. Don’t miss the Asa Packer mansion for the self playing “music box” that is still in working order. Awesome, and long live Hazleton!
It has gotten very busy there, when I started going there like 15 years or so ago it was pretty quiet now you get off the northeast extension and head towards Jim Thorpe you hit traffic right over the bridge and you look ahead and it’s a big line of cars from about the fire works store all the way down to the train station have you ever toured the tunnels?
Important to note seeing as the town is named after him and famous for him, Jim Thorpe is not a local athlete. He is born and raised In Oklahoma. He never lived in or visited the town. He was an exceptional athlete who made it the Olympics and was the first Native American to win gold medals for the USA. After death, his remains were “bought” by the town in 1953 from his wife. they built a monument for him and renamed the town to gain notoriety and draw people in.
The town has a creepy vibe and adding this informaation about purchacing a dead athlete's remains to bury them here is very creepy when the USA gov. was very harsg and dare I saw criminal in their treatment of Native Americans. I bet this town is very haunted. Thank you for sharing this story!
Nice video..Worth visiting.. I was born 2 towns away from here.. The old name of Jim Thorpe was Mauch Chunk.. The pronunciation is "Mach Chunk" .. As far as the Molly Maguire there was movie made about this subject..Parts of the movie were actually filmed in this town !! I can remember as a child .. they covered many of the streets in dirt during filming.. For those that are interested.. The movie featured Sean Connery and Richard Harris in the movie.. One other cool thing to do there is to do a Whitewater Rafting trip down the Lehigh River..which cuts right through Jim Thorpe...
Hey Mike thanks for watching and all the great tips. I definitely will have to check out the whitewater rafting trip next time I’m in the area. All the best, and stay tuned for more content around America!
Was born and raised in Pennsylvania south of there, but have lived in Europe for the past 30 years. Jim Thorpe seems like really well-preserved American culture -- reminds me of Mahanoy City where relatives of ours emigrated from Ireland. Can't really say I see any similarity to Switzerland [or Europe for that matter] but it has a great character of its own, a truly beautiful town. Must be very cosy to live there and you pointed out some great places to make it well worth visiting. Looking at a map I see that Mahanoy City and Jim Thorpe are ten minutes apart. No wonder they're similar!
For sure. I'll have to look into Mahanoy City as well. I think its using the Switzerland thing because of the historic architecture, the train, and the quaint nature of the town. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel When people get to Europe and see the difference in vintage -- the incredible age of places here -- they realise that nothing really compares in the USA. Here "historic" usually means something from three or four hundred years old to thousands. Like the Colisseum or Stonehenge. Or Windsor Castle from the 11th century.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel I lived in Mahanoy City up until recently, it's not much anymore. It's lackluster compared to Jim Thorpe nowadays. I'd suggest Pottsville, but that's just my opinion.
@@ninecatsmagee8384 I was thinking the same thing about Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Twice I smelled how it used to smell - the unmistakable aroma of the ages. No one will be able to smell that again for several hundred years hence. Now I look forward to visiting and smelling the new lumber and freshly cleaned interior. 👍
@@ninecatsmagee8384 I would say that if anything, upstate PA probably more closely resembles Saxony and Bohemia. The upper reaches of the Elbe look quite similar IMO.
Jim Thorpe, the man, deserves better than the tiny blurb you mentioned about him. James Francis Thorpe was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. The man was one of the greatest all around athletes in the entire world.
Aside from people who live here, nobody cares, and frankly many people who live here don't care either. They would have been better off keeping their old name, which sounded much cooler.
I used to deliver for amazon in the more touristy part of that town and let me tell you, NO TOWN GAVE ME MORE ANXIETY. the roads are incredibly tight so you have no choice but to completely block traffic. tight corners and barely any address numbers. I'm sure being a tourist there is great. there's a train ride and plenty of places to go and eat, but delivering there is terrible.
Dude this is actually crazy I’m 13 and have lived deep in the mountains of Jim Thorpe but spend a lot of time in town this is crazy you should take some time to learn about the Molly maguires and the crew also the Asa Packer mansion was a great addition
For sure the Molly Maguires were a big deal in this part of PA and there was even a movie made about them that was filmed in town. Thanks for watching, and please subscribe for other videos of historical places across the country.
For those who do not like crowds. it is worth mentioning that there are times during the Fall, especially during their Fall festival that you can't get to this town by car. They have you park 20 minutes away and take a shuttle bus in. It is a nightmare and everything is packed!
yes absolutely right. I was there a week ago during fall foliage festival and took me more than an hr to find the parking. We couldn't even find the train ticket because they were sold out.. Going to upload the video soon - it was so busy.
Yes the fall can be a little out of control with all the people trying to get a glimpse of the foliage. I went in spring during the week and found that it was pretty quiet and had a lot of the place to myself. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
My sister Elissa Garofalo was instrumental in the revitalization of JT and more. She pioneered efforts which led to Jim Thorpe's main street (Broadway) being named one of the Great Places of America by the American Planning Association. During her 21-year tenure with the D&L, she had an enormous positive impact across the entire heritage area, in individual towns, and to the people she worked with. She left us way too soon on 2-15-23.
I'm so sorry for your loss. And she did an amazing job as the city's main street truly is a great place in america and an amazing urban corridor- besides traveling I'm also a professional city planner- and I can assure you that she did an amazing job. Thank you Elissa and thank you so much for watching. I hope the video helped you to see what an amazing impact her work had on others.
Weird, I'm in philly for 60 years, I've heard of Jim Thorpe, but never heard it referred to as the "Switzerland of America"...PA is one of the best states in the U.S...
Sorry, but Jim Thorpe is not a native of “Mauch Chunk”. It is a very interesting story however, how his body got here and how the Native American tribe he is from wants his body back in his homeland of I believe Oklahoma. Look it up. It’s very interesting.
Yes. The original town was looking to increase tourism. They heard that Jim’s wife was broke and was looking to make money off of Jim’s namesake. They bought it off of her.
Parking is a BIG problem - The shops aren’t what they used to be. Not many left. Very pricey. The Packer mansions are pretty interesting. Parking is very costly these days.
What a cool town. It does really have a European vibe and I love how close it is to the mountains. I bet it is really nice around Christmas time. This is one I definitely have to see. Thank you for the fabulous tour.
Hi SG. Yes the town is unique and really earns its reputation as "The Switzerland of America". You can visit the town then head into the mountains by train, car, bike, or by hiking. I've never been there for XMas, but I will look into an Xmas special in Jim Thorpe!
I live 30 minutes away... the big time of year there is fall. Many a festival and crowded on weekends in Jim Thorpe. I would say visit during the week to avoid but that would do you no good as lots of shops are only open on the weekend.
It doesn't look like a European town when you start seeing the people who live there😅😅 and the way you describe it makes it seem like you'd actually want to go there for any reason but to get to Glen. 😅
My dad was born here before they changed the town's name. It originally was called Mauch Chunk pronounced Munkchunk. Every year we had a huge family reunion there, I miss it.
I love Pennsylvania. The architecture is amazing and was amazed that not many fences exist between houses. And in the country windows contain candles to light a strangers way just in case. Very friendly people. Can't wait to visit again and see Jim Thorpe.
I concur!!! I'm at the point in the video where he is talking about about the Italian architecture of the mansions. How could they be Italian if there is no Mary On The Half Shell in front? ;)
I live in Long Island. As a kid and still to this day most of my vacations are in Pennsylvania. My wife and I love it there. We go to the Poconos and also to Amish country/Hershey Park. I plan on moving to PA at some point in my life.
PA is one of the most interesting states in America because it has so much history, is centrally located to visit other interesting east coast sites like Philadelphia and NYC- not a far ride from New England either and has so many unique towns- Jim Thorpe being one of them. I am a PA lover as well. Thanks for watching!
Honorable mention would be the D&L Trail that goes for miles North and South along the Lehigh River. Biking, Hiking, and Rafting are a must to try. If you bike/hike the D&L trail South from Jim Thorpe you have Weisport, Lehighton, and Slatington. All 3 towns are wonderful to see as well. The D&L trail is basically the RR path from back in the day. Many things to see and observe along the way.
The (Packer built) Episcopal Church is architecturally awesome ! Much nicer than the jail. The Packers also built the magnificent chapel on the campus of Lehigh University. 💒
Corrections: The pronunciation is: Mock Chunk, not Moch Chunk. Jim Thorpe was indeed interred there, but he was ANYTHING but "local". Look that up. One thing they got right is, it's a beautiful town. Also, the name means "sleeping bear" in Leni Lenape - Delaware Indian.
I was born and raised in Lehighton, just a couple of miles south of Jim Thorpe, and grew up during the time when Jim Thorpe was in pretty bad shape, long before it was cultivated into a tourist hub in the 80s. I no longer live in the area, but still visit occasionally, and have been in Jim Thorpe many, many times, had relatives living there, and remember it well. It has truly come a long way in the last several decades. Visitors might be interested to know that the film, "The Molly Maguires", starring Sean Connery, Richard Harris, and Samantha Eggar (you can Google where to watch it online), was filmed partly in downtown Jim Thorpe (when they went "into town" and to the courthouse) and the surrounding areas. They literally covered the streets in truck loads of dirt and repainted and covered the fronts of some of the buildings to resemble how the town looked during the Molly trials at the courthouse. The courthouse still looks as it did during the dangerous Molly days. It's sad that the famous Flagstaff Park and Dance Hall on top of the mountain directly over the town on the south side, is no longer open to the public. But I hear someone new bought it relatively recently. The views up there of the Lehigh Gorge are amazing, and I think you would have loved that. They used to hold Big Band dances up there every weekend....my mother and her sisters used to go there to dance in the 40s and 50s. Maybe one day developers will reopen it, or at least a lookout point for tourists, so keep an eye out. Also, on the other side of the concrete bridge, on the right, north of the train station, and continuing east to the top of the mountain, is the actual grave of Olympian Jim Thorpe, whom the town is named after. His Native American relatives have petitioned the town to get his remains returned to Oklahoma. But I haven't heard that it's actually going to happen. Anyway, I thought you'd want to know that there are a couple of minor errors in your video. First of all, the original Indian name for the town, Mauch Chunk, is pronounced "Mock" Chunk, not "Mawch" Chunk. And the senior railroad tycoon, Asa Packer, was a man. Harry Packer was his son. Thanks for the nice video of my old stomping grounds. Jim Thorpe looks particularly pretty during the holidays, especially with a couple of inches of snow on the ground, if you can time your visit just right! Just don't risk driving the Mansion House Hill coming into town in bad winter weather, or you could end up flying toward the Lehigh River a hundred feet below! Not kidding!
Thank you for all of the helpful additional information. Yes I heard that a good portion of the movie was filmed in town and they had to make the town look older and more worn down for historical accuracy. Thanks for the input of additional places to go and see- this always helps fellow travelers- and thank you for the clarification on some of the inaccuracies. I really appreciate your thorough input and I'm glad I could show you a bit of your old stomping grounds in the video. Thanks for watching and please subscribe for more videos of historic places around the country.
I agree and the scenery on the train ride looks like parts of Southern Ireland, Yorkshire UK and the Scottish highlands. I bet you can get great tea and scones there.
This place is its own thing. Do not compare that to Switzerland. In Switzerland, one can hang out at a cafe and watch climbers on the Matterhorn, have the best food in the world, the best ski slopes in the world, crystal clear mountain lakes, pristine nature, next to zero poverty. This place, this is Appalachia. Comparing it to European resorts isn't correct at all.
I believe the town utilizes the term "Switzerland of America" to bolster tourism and to highlight it's unique and old-world architecture, mountainous vistas, Lehigh Gorge railroad attraction, and quaint shops and restaurants. I don't think it's saying that it is comparable to Switzerland, but rather that it has elements similar to Switzerland for an American audience. Thanks for your input and for watching.
There is a town nearby that looks like it came out of the rocky mountains called Palmerton. I love that whole area, the AT trail goes through there, the views are great, and its affordable.
Great hiking, challenging rock scrambles and awesome views of the old superfund site caused by smelting. However, the town has nothing going on. Similar to most of the once great deteriorating coal country towns.
@@futball24 I live here and have watched Palmerton grow over the years. It's beautiful, safe, has 3 parks one with a pool, lots of great eating places, 2 excellent gyms, a large grocery store, a medical complex, it's situated close to options for hiking, trail running, bike riding. The AT is a mile away as the crow flies and we really are a trail town, welcoming hikers with 2 options to camp in town. Neighbors know each other and there is a real sense of community. Palmerton is far from deteriorating. We have a busy and thriving downtown. The superfund site you mention is now regrown, green and beautiful. It's a great comeback story. You must have visited many years ago.
@@marysalmon2367 It was probably a decade ago. We only came down for supplies from gas station. We were actually stolen from. They ransacked our packs that were left out front. When we confronted the men, they swung at us and told us to get the F out of our town.
I live just east of here but the town is basically impossible to drive in. The streets are very small and crowded and very hilly. I would love to explore it more, maybe one day. I also wish they would go back to the Mauch Chunk name. They named it Jim Thorpe when he died while married to this third wife, who became impoverished. The town wanted to draw people to visit and paid the widow to have his body buried there, although he had never even visited the town. His son wanted him buried in Native American burial grounds in Oklahoma and it went through Federal court and was won by the son, then lost on appeal. So, Jim Thorpe remains buried there and the name stays.
That is a very interesting strategy to bolster economic investment- bury an athlete there. I think a lot of people in the city would like the name reverted to the original as well. Thanks for the info and for watching!
That's a huge point to mention! Yes, Jim Thorpe never knew of this town or stepped foot in it. I see it eventually changing name properly back to Mauch Chunk. Also just FYI, Asa Packer was a man. Founder of Lehigh University, railroad exec, and member of House of Reps. But a great video otherwise and Jim Thorpe is great little town to come spend a couple of hours in if you are in range.
1:50 Recheck those facts because that is 100% wrong. Jim Thorpe never lived in or visited that town. A quick google will explain that whole issue of his wife using his image for money and a town trying to create a tourist attraction.
Sorry mate, I’m from Europe and that looks nothing like it. It looks like the epitome of an America town. The Swiss Alps is one of the most beautiful place in this world, and does not compare, sorry.
I grew up there. I love my hometown. Tourism has made it a bit of a headache for locals though. It gets crazy in the fall. Lots of Irish, German and native American history. The Lenape lived there. The area was called Mauch Chunk.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel I grew up in the neighboring town: Summit Hill. However my grandfather was raised in East Mauch Chunk; my great-grandfather has a plaque dedicated to him over by the Broadhead Mansion; he was the caretaker there as borough president for a time. My great grandfather was born in the town of Markirch (present day Ste-Marie-aux-Mines) in Alsace. His wife's family was from the town of Schwyz, Switzerland. The area was a true melting pot of Native American, Germanic, Italian, Irish, and Eastern European heritage. In recent years, the area has again become home to persons who are new resident in the United States.
Live 3 minutes away from there. Jim Thorpe (the person) was not a local native. The old town name is Mauch Chunk, pronounced Mawk Chunk. A few other items, the “old” jail still held prisoners till the new county jail opened in 1995. You also did not touch on why it’s called little Switzerland, which has nothing to do with the surrounding mountains but where the town is nestled. It held the first roller coaster, the Opra house has a deeper history than most places. There are other mansions that also have history. You just did the tourist trap tour. Come back and actually see the town for its amazing history.
It is a cute little town, but way overselling it here. I visited with my ex girlfriend a few years ago. We were staying nearby in the Poconos for a week and looking for nice things to explore and do around the area. We came to Jim Thorpe for the scenic train ride. At the time it was advertised online to run till the end of October with all the beautiful fall foliage. We arrived to be quickly disappointed as despite the nice weather, they stopped running their train rides over a week early on I think the 21st. At that point they were like, well there is this haunted mansion you can go see instead. I'm sorry but that's just a boring empty rich peoples' house no one is living in. We walked around the cute shops and restaurants and that was okay. I can appreciate those sort of small town, mom and pop, and artsy places - they have a charm and a vibe. But it was hard to overcome the disappointment of not getting the scenic train ride - especially for my then girlfriend.
Jim Thorpe was not local he was born in Oklahoma , and never spent 1 second in the town he is buried there and they renamed the 2towns ( maah chunk and east chunk ) when they merged
I believe the town utilizes the term "Switzerland of America" to bolster tourism and to highlight it's unique and old-world architecture, mountainous vistas, Lehigh Gorge railroad attraction, and quaint shops and restaurants. I don't think it's saying that it is comparable to Switzerland, but rather that it has elements similar to Switzerland for an American audience. Thanks for your input and for watching.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel You do a good job with your on-camera presence. I find it difficult to remember what I am supposed to talk about when camera is on me. Lol.
Jim Thorpe never even lived there. The town won the rights to his body and brought it to Jim Thorpe and made a memorial. Now the family are in a battle to get his body removed and brought back to them last I heard
Im surprised you didn't show Jim Thorpe's grave, an Olympic Gold Winner 🏆🥇. His Grave is amazing, fully adorned in the Spring and Summer months. Beautiful Place. ❤
I remember being sent to the camp Adams there in like 2001 or 02 and at some point we took a little field trip to the town of Jim Thorpe and I thought it was a fake town 😆 like it was set up just for show and that outside of touring the place, it was just a ghost town or something. But it was a nice looking little town. It definitely had a different feel to it
Jim Thorpe has definitely blossomed as a tourist spot since the late 80s/early 90s. I live in the Lehigh Valley and spend quite a bit of time in the JT area hiking. Back in the early 90s I did loads of mountain biking and even worked during the summer as a mountain bike guide for one of the rafting/biking companies. The one thing I would add to your information would be the nearby outdoor activity locations like Mauch Chunk Lake, Hickory Run State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Beltzvile State Park and loads of trails on Pennsylvania State Game lands in the area.
I think Lincoln New Hampshire has a more American Switzerland vibe it’s a beautiful town in the mountains of New Hampshire with so many beautiful sites to see but this town seems cool too I like the small streets and building designs it has own style which I like
I live in the Poconos. I love this place so much as I’m a train guy and plenty of that there as well. I take my wife and get in the touring bike and head over a few times per year. In the summer it gets busy folks so be patient as it’s a small town packed with tourists.
Yes Jim Thorpe is definitely a unique place to visit and train enthusiasts would love it. I also heard that the railway has a train that will bring bicyclists up the mountain where they can then ride down. Worth a look into. Thanks for watching!
As someone in carbon country I hate jim Thorpe. I can’t imagine going there for “fun”. If you do go there however you better plan a lot of walking, if you plan to drive in jim Thorpe, good luck. (Realistically if you just want good views and culture I guess it’s pretty nice, but it’s just so terrible to drive thru is why everyone here hates it from around here)
Nice summary but there are a lot of historical sites in this town. Probably the most interesting are that some of the Molly Meguires were hung at the jail. One of the cells has a hand print on the wall from one of the Mollies that keeps coming back even though it has been painted over. The film The Molly Meguires was filmed in Jim Thorpe and Eckley’s Miners Village near Hazleton. I worked with one of the extras in the film who told stories of working with Richard Harris and Sean Connery. Another interesting item is the Switchback Railroad used to haul coal over the mountain from Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal. After the railroads took over this was used as an amusement ride and was considered the first roller coaster. It is long gone but the trails it ran on are still there and worth the hike. The Episcopal church is built into the mountain and has a rock wall. It also has a French elevator. The Packers were the founders of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. I also believe they have a connection to Bethlehem Steel. The whole story of how Mauch Chunk became Jim Thorpe is interesting too. I live in Palmerton to the south and have visited Jim Thorpe many times. It is a bit of a tourist trap now but has done a good job of bringing itself back from the coal boom and bust.
I love the history of the town and the immediate area. This part of Pennsylvania always fascinated me with its quaint and historic towns, all filled with an interesting story. Thanks for all of your input and for watching!
WA-THO-HUK, aka known as Jim Thorpe, is often cited as the true record holder for the most touchdowns in a single game. The persistent racism in this country, both historical and contemporary, has overshadowed WA-THO-HUK's rightful legacy. It is a common oversight among European Americans to not fully acknowledge the breadth of WA-THO-HUK's accomplishments.
I lived in the Harry Packer B&B from 93-96. I've seen that hand print a few times. I'm not saying its not real but if you look closely you can see layers of paint around it. None of those men got a fair trial. Today the charges would've been thrown out.
Very interesting. What an amazing place to call home. They didn't get a fair trial and I agree the charges would've been thrown out. Thanks for watching!
And OK.... Asa Packer was, in fact, a man. "She" was not a prominent figure here. "He" was. My goodness, man. Nice presentation, but please do your research.
Used to live in Lansford and went to Panther Valley high school. Also, use to run in the annual race back in the day. Not quite sure if they have their running races in Jim Thorpe anymore? Also, used to catch the Martz Trailways bus in Jim Thorpe to go to Atlantic City.
Nope, Jim Thorpe is nothing like Switzerland, I have been to both places. Starting that Switzerland has an universal healthcare and is a super developed country, Jim Thorpe is a hillbilly place. I didn’t like it.
Jim Thorpe never lived there, his wife illegally sold his body to the town to bury him there and then they changed the name of the town to attract tourist
You have a key fact wrong. Jim Thorpe was not a "local"...he never even visited that town during his life. Do the research you should have done before you released this video.
The mansions are cool, but the true Gem of Jim Thorpe is that old church on the hill. Get a tour of that place and you’ll be amazed regardless of you’re religious thoughts.
I live just south of Jim Thorpe in Montgomeryville Bucks County area. Have been going to Glen Ononko park for years. How things have changed. I can remember going there and it seemed like it was an unknown hidden gem with the waterfalls hiking up the side of the mountain to the top and also the train tunnel. Jumping off the bridge into the water below. It has definitely come about with time and has become a tourist attraction which is great for the community…….
Having grown up in Slatington/Washington Township (only about 20 minutes away from Jim Thorpe) I can say that this recent explosion of tourism and aesthetics is fairly recent. The Jim Thorpe of my youth is not the same one as that which you toured. Tis for the better.
Yes this is what I heard from many of the locals. Great that it was cleaned up and is a better town to visit now. Maybe will have to do an interview video from Jim Thorpe locals. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel that would be glorious!!! I would note that over the last 5 years the Jim Thorpe-Slatington-Lehighton area has undergone a massive demographic shift. A lot of people have moved out or died
I live like around an hour from Jim Thorpe and it’s one of my favorite place to visit, we haven’t able to go this month in October to their fall event cause it’s been raining every Saturday 😢
When it wasn't raining, you couldn't get into town. Traffic was backed up all the way up the Mansion House Hill. There was an article in the Times News where they called is "Trafficgeddeon." If they are going to continue doing Fall Fest, they either need to add commuter rail, or more extensive shuttles. It's a great place to go and fall is beautiful, but I feel that it's best visited anytime OTHER THAN fall, because it's not built for the crowds that come.
STROM BROTHERS Slate & Copper Roofers do a lot of the Slate and Copper Roofs in that area. They are one of the best Slate & Copper Roofers in the Nation. Top Quality materials and excellent craftsmanship.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel It's like working with old craftsmen who know their craft when they work. They did a copper roof on our porch 20 years ago and it's still like brand new. PA has all sorts of little towns and cities that are so unique. It's a wonderful state with I believe some of the friendliest people. They need to correct their vote problems so they maintain the beauty of their unique state.
Jim Thorpe is my favorite small town in Pennsylvania. It is very classy with some fine restaurants and art galleries. You won't find that in other small towns. Although a bit touristy it still seems authentic.
GREAT VIDEO, I WAS BORN ON RACE ST. MACH CHUNK 73 YEARS AGO. YOU SHOULD HAVE SHOWN A GLIMSE OF THE JIM THORPE GRAVE MEMORIAL UP ON RT 903 GOING EAST OUT OF TOWN UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS TOWARD ALBRIGHTSVILLE PA.
Thanks for watching and yea for sure next time I visit will have to check that out. Maybe I'll make a short for this and add it to the Pennsylvania playlist.
I'm a PA native and I've been around Europe as well..... I visited Jim Thorpe once last fall. It's a beautiful and very scenic town but I think it's a bit overkill to call it "The switzerland of America".... it is nothing like Switzerland. It has it's own charm and beauty. Just leave it at that. I feel like the town would benefit greatly from having some kind of Amtrak line going through it. Parking can be a nightmare depending when you go and traffic around the area is such a headache.
Amerikkkans think that if there isn't a Starbucks and a red lobster every 2m, then it's european🤣😅this is a podunk little American town. Nothing more
Fuckin Switzerland 😅😅😅
The Switzerland of America was what it was named about a century ago. It used to be destination for city folk to vacation at summer hotels for exercise, clean air and to enjoy nature. Most of those grand hotels burnt or were razed. It was named because it was nestled in between many large steep hills and peaks. It was essentially the first place where people rode the old coal gravity railroad for fun. Teddy Roosevelt even came to ride it before it was dismantled.
@@futball24 😅😅😅
Sometimes driving through the mountainous areas of the USA (Colorado, New England, etc), I'll see a house or resort area built up to look like a Swiss village. Why try to be something else when the local American-style buildings have their own charm and style?
Fur sure it would be great if you could get to it by public transportation especially from Philly or NYC. Thanks for your input and for watching!
I live in Hazleton, 12 miles north of Jim Thorpe. It has become a very busy and growing area in the past few years. Glad to see others enjoying it. You missed the key story of the jail. Lore is an innocent man on day of his execution swore to god he was innocent and to this day his hand print on the wall. It wont wash away. The town is known for its antiques and homemade artwork as well. The Emporium of Curious goods store was a very original playhouse. It used to hold psychic mediums and all sorts of paranormal items. Very unique gem of the area. Fall is my favorite time there. Each weekend has different themes with local vendors in addition to the shops and winery.
Thanks for all this great information and the tips. Maybe will have to make a Jim Thorpe part 2 and include all of your suggestions. Thanks for watching!
My family’s from Hazleton too! Your info is spot on. Watch the movie “Molly Maguires” to understand the “hand print” prisoner. Don’t miss the Asa Packer mansion for the self playing “music box” that is still in working order. Awesome, and long live Hazleton!
It has gotten very busy there, when I started going there like 15 years or so ago it was pretty quiet now you get off the northeast extension and head towards Jim Thorpe you hit traffic right over the bridge and you look ahead and it’s a big line of cars from about the fire works store all the way down to the train station have you ever toured the tunnels?
That hand print is repainted there all the time
I knew someone that worked there lol
Important to note seeing as the town is named after him and famous for him, Jim Thorpe is not a local athlete. He is born and raised In Oklahoma. He never lived in or visited the town. He was an exceptional athlete who made it the Olympics and was the first Native American to win gold medals for the USA. After death, his remains were “bought” by the town in 1953 from his wife. they built a monument for him and renamed the town to gain notoriety and draw people in.
Came here to post this comment. Thanks for getting here first!
yes found this out later. Thanks for the clarification and for watching!
The town has a creepy vibe and adding this informaation about purchacing a dead athlete's remains to bury them here is very creepy when the USA gov. was very harsg and dare I saw criminal in their treatment of Native Americans. I bet this town is very haunted. Thank you for sharing this story!
@@augustasimone9323 i’m sure because of the jail with the Molly Maguires
@@jeremyjedynak Me too! Appreciate kindred spirits.
Nice video..Worth visiting.. I was born 2 towns away from here.. The old name of Jim Thorpe was Mauch Chunk.. The pronunciation is "Mach Chunk" .. As far as the Molly Maguire there was movie made about this subject..Parts of the movie were actually filmed in this town !! I can remember as a child .. they covered many of the streets in dirt during filming.. For those that are interested.. The movie featured Sean Connery and Richard Harris in the movie.. One other cool thing to do there is to do a Whitewater Rafting trip down the Lehigh River..which cuts right through Jim Thorpe...
Hey Mike thanks for watching and all the great tips. I definitely will have to check out the whitewater rafting trip next time I’m in the area. All the best, and stay tuned for more content around America!
Was born and raised in Pennsylvania south of there, but have lived in Europe for the past 30 years. Jim Thorpe seems like really well-preserved American culture -- reminds me of Mahanoy City where relatives of ours emigrated from Ireland. Can't really say I see any similarity to Switzerland [or Europe for that matter] but it has a great character of its own, a truly beautiful town. Must be very cosy to live there and you pointed out some great places to make it well worth visiting. Looking at a map I see that Mahanoy City and Jim Thorpe are ten minutes apart. No wonder they're similar!
For sure. I'll have to look into Mahanoy City as well. I think its using the Switzerland thing because of the historic architecture, the train, and the quaint nature of the town. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel When people get to Europe and see the difference in vintage -- the incredible age of places here -- they realise that nothing really compares in the USA. Here "historic" usually means something from three or four hundred years old to thousands. Like the Colisseum or Stonehenge. Or Windsor Castle from the 11th century.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel I lived in Mahanoy City up until recently, it's not much anymore. It's lackluster compared to Jim Thorpe nowadays. I'd suggest Pottsville, but that's just my opinion.
@@ninecatsmagee8384 I was thinking the same thing about Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Twice I smelled how it used to smell - the unmistakable aroma of the ages. No one will be able to smell that again for several hundred years hence. Now I look forward to visiting and smelling the new lumber and freshly cleaned interior. 👍
@@ninecatsmagee8384 I would say that if anything, upstate PA probably more closely resembles Saxony and Bohemia. The upper reaches of the Elbe look quite similar IMO.
Jim Thorpe, the man, deserves better than the tiny blurb you mentioned about him. James Francis Thorpe was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. The man was one of the greatest all around athletes in the entire world.
This is a TRAVEL video, not a biography. Nobody cares
Aside from people who live here, nobody cares, and frankly many people who live here don't care either. They would have been better off keeping their old name, which sounded much cooler.
I used to deliver for amazon in the more touristy part of that town and let me tell you, NO TOWN GAVE ME MORE ANXIETY. the roads are incredibly tight so you have no choice but to completely block traffic. tight corners and barely any address numbers. I'm sure being a tourist there is great. there's a train ride and plenty of places to go and eat, but delivering there is terrible.
Hahah i could imagine delivering would be a nightmare, the narrow streets are almost European-like. Thanks for watching!
Yup I delivered papers. No thanks
I’m sure that 99.8 % of people will be just visiting. But thanks, I’ll be sure not to deliver there.
Amazon needs to either supply smaller vans like those used in Europe or have an out of town delivery warehouse for customer pickup, or use USPS.
@@alipainting or hire people that work and don’t cry! That sounds better!
Dude this is actually crazy I’m 13 and have lived deep in the mountains of Jim Thorpe but spend a lot of time in town this is crazy you should take some time to learn about the Molly maguires and the crew also the Asa Packer mansion was a great addition
For sure the Molly Maguires were a big deal in this part of PA and there was even a movie made about them that was filmed in town. Thanks for watching, and please subscribe for other videos of historical places across the country.
For those who do not like crowds. it is worth mentioning that there are times during the Fall, especially during their Fall festival that you can't get to this town by car. They have you park 20 minutes away and take a shuttle bus in. It is a nightmare and everything is packed!
Thank you for your comment, I abhor crowds.
Thank you for this information. Good to know as Fall is a time we would be likely to visit - to avoid the crowds and see the mountain colors.
yes absolutely right. I was there a week ago during fall foliage festival and took me more than an hr to find the parking. We couldn't even find the train ticket because they were sold out.. Going to upload the video soon - it was so busy.
Yes the fall can be a little out of control with all the people trying to get a glimpse of the foliage. I went in spring during the week and found that it was pretty quiet and had a lot of the place to myself. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
Note that you can take the train from Reading to Jim Thorpe and back, Definitely an option. I am visiting by bus thanks to the new Megabus route.
My sister Elissa Garofalo was instrumental in the revitalization of JT and more.
She pioneered efforts which led to Jim Thorpe's main street (Broadway) being named one of the Great Places of America by the American Planning Association. During her 21-year tenure with the D&L, she had an enormous positive impact across the entire heritage area, in individual towns, and to the people she worked with.
She left us way too soon on 2-15-23.
I'm so sorry for your loss. And she did an amazing job as the city's main street truly is a great place in america and an amazing urban corridor- besides traveling I'm also a professional city planner- and I can assure you that she did an amazing job. Thank you Elissa and thank you so much for watching. I hope the video helped you to see what an amazing impact her work had on others.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel
Thank you
Elissa was also the one who pushed for the pedestrian bridge, and was the 1st to cross it on the opening day.
Weird, I'm in philly for 60 years, I've heard of Jim Thorpe, but never heard it referred to as the "Switzerland of America"...PA is one of the best states in the U.S...
I agree. There is so much to do. Many different vibes in the area, and it is filled with history. Thanks for watching.
Sorry, but Jim Thorpe is not a native of “Mauch Chunk”. It is a very interesting story however, how his body got here and how the Native American tribe he is from wants his body back in his homeland of I believe Oklahoma. Look it up. It’s very interesting.
Oh wow, thanks for the clarification. I will check it out.
Yes. The original town was looking to increase tourism. They heard that Jim’s wife was broke and was looking to make money off of Jim’s namesake. They bought it off of her.
Parking is a BIG problem - The shops aren’t what they used to be. Not many left. Very pricey. The Packer mansions are pretty interesting. Parking is very costly these days.
Yes unfortunately the more hip a place becomes the parking tends to go down the tubes. Thanks for watching!
What a cool town. It does really have a European vibe and I love how close it is to the mountains. I bet it is really nice around Christmas time. This is one I definitely have to see. Thank you for the fabulous tour.
Hi SG. Yes the town is unique and really earns its reputation as "The Switzerland of America". You can visit the town then head into the mountains by train, car, bike, or by hiking. I've never been there for XMas, but I will look into an Xmas special in Jim Thorpe!
I live 30 minutes away... the big time of year there is fall. Many a festival and crowded on weekends in Jim Thorpe. I would say visit during the week to avoid but that would do you no good as lots of shops are only open on the weekend.
No it's not nice for us that live in JT all of the people that come to see this cute town make it hell to live here.
It doesn't look like a European town when you start seeing the people who live there😅😅 and the way you describe it makes it seem like you'd actually want to go there for any reason but to get to Glen. 😅
Sounds like you've never been to Europe 😅🤣🤣🤣
Jim Thorpe was not native to this town. I believe he was born in Oklahoma and attended school in Carlisle PA.
Thanks for the info and for watching!
My dad was born here before they changed the town's name. It originally was called Mauch Chunk pronounced Munkchunk. Every year we had a huge family reunion there, I miss it.
Very cool. What a wonderful place to see all of your family again. Thanks for watching!
I love Pennsylvania. The architecture is amazing and was amazed that not many fences exist between houses. And in the country windows contain candles to light a strangers way just in case. Very friendly people. Can't wait to visit again and see Jim Thorpe.
I concur!!! I'm at the point in the video where he is talking about about the Italian architecture of the mansions. How could they be Italian if there is no Mary On The Half Shell in front? ;)
I live in Long Island. As a kid and still to this day most of my vacations are in Pennsylvania. My wife and I love it there. We go to the Poconos and also to Amish country/Hershey Park. I plan on moving to PA at some point in my life.
PA is one of the most interesting states in America because it has so much history, is centrally located to visit other interesting east coast sites like Philadelphia and NYC- not a far ride from New England either and has so many unique towns- Jim Thorpe being one of them. I am a PA lover as well. Thanks for watching!
Yes PA is beautiful and more and more NYers are realizing it's beauty and diverse things to see and do. Thanks for watching!
Honorable mention would be the D&L Trail that goes for miles North and South along the Lehigh River. Biking, Hiking, and Rafting are a must to try. If you bike/hike the D&L trail South from Jim Thorpe you have Weisport, Lehighton, and Slatington. All 3 towns are wonderful to see as well. The D&L trail is basically the RR path from back in the day. Many things to see and observe along the way.
I've never been to the D&L trail. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in the area. Thanks for the recommendation and for watching!
Really bad background music…I turned it off half way through
The (Packer built) Episcopal Church is architecturally awesome ! Much nicer than the jail. The Packers also built the magnificent chapel on the campus of Lehigh University. 💒
I'll definitely have to check out the Episcopal Church next time I'm in Jim Thorpe. Thanks for the excellent suggestion. And thanks for watching!
The stained glass in that church has blue colors in it that are almost impossible to recreate now.
Corrections: The pronunciation is: Mock Chunk, not Moch Chunk. Jim Thorpe was indeed interred there, but he was ANYTHING but "local". Look that up. One thing they got right is, it's a beautiful town. Also, the name means "sleeping bear" in Leni Lenape - Delaware Indian.
Thank for you the clarification and additional information and thanks for watching!
What?!!! No mention of Molly Maguire's Pub, in the town where the MMs where tried and hung?!! Dood, no! Do over!!
Maybe will have to get it in on the next trip. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
I was born and raised in Lehighton, just a couple of miles south of Jim Thorpe, and grew up during the time when Jim Thorpe was in pretty bad shape, long before it was cultivated into a tourist hub in the 80s. I no longer live in the area, but still visit occasionally, and have been in Jim Thorpe many, many times, had relatives living there, and remember it well. It has truly come a long way in the last several decades.
Visitors might be interested to know that the film, "The Molly Maguires", starring Sean Connery, Richard Harris, and Samantha Eggar (you can Google where to watch it online), was filmed partly in downtown Jim Thorpe (when they went "into town" and to the courthouse) and the surrounding areas. They literally covered the streets in truck loads of dirt and repainted and covered the fronts of some of the buildings to resemble how the town looked during the Molly trials at the courthouse. The courthouse still looks as it did during the dangerous Molly days.
It's sad that the famous Flagstaff Park and Dance Hall on top of the mountain directly over the town on the south side, is no longer open to the public. But I hear someone new bought it relatively recently. The views up there of the Lehigh Gorge are amazing, and I think you would have loved that. They used to hold Big Band dances up there every weekend....my mother and her sisters used to go there to dance in the 40s and 50s. Maybe one day developers will reopen it, or at least a lookout point for tourists, so keep an eye out.
Also, on the other side of the concrete bridge, on the right, north of the train station, and continuing east to the top of the mountain, is the actual grave of Olympian Jim Thorpe, whom the town is named after. His Native American relatives have petitioned the town to get his remains returned to Oklahoma. But I haven't heard that it's actually going to happen.
Anyway, I thought you'd want to know that there are a couple of minor errors in your video. First of all, the original Indian name for the town, Mauch Chunk, is pronounced "Mock" Chunk, not "Mawch" Chunk. And the senior railroad tycoon, Asa Packer, was a man. Harry Packer was his son.
Thanks for the nice video of my old stomping grounds. Jim Thorpe looks particularly pretty during the holidays, especially with a couple of inches of snow on the ground, if you can time your visit just right! Just don't risk driving the Mansion House Hill coming into town in bad winter weather, or you could end up flying toward the Lehigh River a hundred feet below! Not kidding!
Thank you for all of the helpful additional information. Yes I heard that a good portion of the movie was filmed in town and they had to make the town look older and more worn down for historical accuracy. Thanks for the input of additional places to go and see- this always helps fellow travelers- and thank you for the clarification on some of the inaccuracies. I really appreciate your thorough input and I'm glad I could show you a bit of your old stomping grounds in the video. Thanks for watching and please subscribe for more videos of historic places around the country.
The town is like a Victorian era town you would find in North Wales. It's absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it. It truly is a unique city in America with a European-like vibe. Thanks for watching!
Lol. I live an hour south of Jim Thorpe......in a town named North Wales
I agree and the scenery on the train ride looks like parts of Southern Ireland, Yorkshire UK and the Scottish highlands. I bet you can get great tea and scones there.
@@larrycold You can indeed. I live not far from there
This place is its own thing. Do not compare that to Switzerland.
In Switzerland, one can hang out at a cafe and watch climbers on the Matterhorn, have the best food in the world, the best ski slopes in the world, crystal clear mountain lakes, pristine nature, next to zero poverty.
This place, this is Appalachia.
Comparing it to European resorts isn't correct at all.
It's the cracktown of Switzerland.
Also isn't full of pretentious euro trash 😂
I believe the town utilizes the term "Switzerland of America" to bolster tourism and to highlight it's unique and old-world architecture, mountainous vistas, Lehigh Gorge railroad attraction, and quaint shops and restaurants. I don't think it's saying that it is comparable to Switzerland, but rather that it has elements similar to Switzerland for an American audience. Thanks for your input and for watching.
Switzerland of America? No snow-capped peaks here, or any where else in the Poconos.
The Harry Packer Mansion was the model for the haunted mansion in Disney World.
Very cool. Thanks for the input and for watching!
Cool town but why do they have that Up With People music playing everywhere this dude goes? Uggh had to leave.
There is a town nearby that looks like it came out of the rocky mountains called Palmerton. I love that whole area, the AT trail goes through there, the views are great, and its affordable.
Great hiking, challenging rock scrambles and awesome views of the old superfund site caused by smelting. However, the town has nothing going on. Similar to most of the once great deteriorating coal country towns.
@@futball24 I live here and have watched Palmerton grow over the years. It's beautiful, safe, has 3 parks one with a pool, lots of great eating places, 2 excellent gyms, a large grocery store, a medical complex, it's situated close to options for hiking, trail running, bike riding. The AT is a mile away as the crow flies and we really are a trail town, welcoming hikers with 2 options to camp in town. Neighbors know each other and there is a real sense of community. Palmerton is far from deteriorating. We have a busy and thriving downtown. The superfund site you mention is now regrown, green and beautiful. It's a great comeback story. You must have visited many years ago.
@@marysalmon2367 It was probably a decade ago. We only came down for supplies from gas station. We were actually stolen from. They ransacked our packs that were left out front. When we confronted the men, they swung at us and told us to get the F out of our town.
Stop advertising our area.. to many transplants moving in… y’all screwing with the locals…
Yes stay tuned for a video on Palmerton and thanks for watching!
Purportedly, it is going to be a sanctuary when shtf.
But is male conscription mandatory and every home have a bomb shelter...
I'm just here to say that Ouray is the Switzerland of America. okay bye
I live just east of here but the town is basically impossible to drive in. The streets are very small and crowded and very hilly. I would love to explore it more, maybe one day. I also wish they would go back to the Mauch Chunk name. They named it Jim Thorpe when he died while married to this third wife, who became impoverished. The town wanted to draw people to visit and paid the widow to have his body buried there, although he had never even visited the town. His son wanted him buried in Native American burial grounds in Oklahoma and it went through Federal court and was won by the son, then lost on appeal. So, Jim Thorpe remains buried there and the name stays.
That is a very interesting strategy to bolster economic investment- bury an athlete there. I think a lot of people in the city would like the name reverted to the original as well. Thanks for the info and for watching!
That's a huge point to mention! Yes, Jim Thorpe never knew of this town or stepped foot in it. I see it eventually changing name properly back to Mauch Chunk. Also just FYI, Asa Packer was a man. Founder of Lehigh University, railroad exec, and member of House of Reps. But a great video otherwise and Jim Thorpe is great little town to come spend a couple of hours in if you are in range.
Nothing like Switzerland.
Get real.
It’s not pronounced MauCH Chunk 😂 it’s pronounced Mawk Chunk
And if you're lazy, Maw Chunk
@@acwright That's actually how I pronounce it! It's just easier and rolls off the tongue better.
haha thanks for the clarification and for watching!
Good video but New Glarus,Wisconsin is actually Little Switzerland of America.
I definitely want to check out New Glarus, WI. Thanks for the recommendation and for watching!
House at 101 was a house of I’ll repute supposedley
1:50 Recheck those facts because that is 100% wrong. Jim Thorpe never lived in or visited that town. A quick google will explain that whole issue of his wife using his image for money and a town trying to create a tourist attraction.
yes found this out later. Thanks for the clarification and for watching!
Sorry mate, I’m from Europe and that looks nothing like it. It looks like the epitome of an America town. The Swiss Alps is one of the most beautiful place in this world, and does not compare, sorry.
What would be the America of Switzerland?
hmm an interesting thought.... Maybe somewhere with office parks, triple left turn lanes, and chain fast food resturants- if that even exists :0
Easy, Davos! It's the economic capital of the world right along with NYC.
I grew up there. I love my hometown. Tourism has made it a bit of a headache for locals though. It gets crazy in the fall. Lots of Irish, German and native American history. The Lenape lived there. The area was called Mauch Chunk.
It really is a unique and interesting place in PA. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel I grew up in the neighboring town: Summit Hill. However my grandfather was raised in East Mauch Chunk; my great-grandfather has a plaque dedicated to him over by the Broadhead Mansion; he was the caretaker there as borough president for a time. My great grandfather was born in the town of Markirch (present day Ste-Marie-aux-Mines) in Alsace. His wife's family was from the town of Schwyz, Switzerland. The area was a true melting pot of Native American, Germanic, Italian, Irish, and Eastern European heritage. In recent years, the area has again become home to persons who are new resident in the United States.
Obviously you've never been to Switzerland
Live 3 minutes away from there. Jim Thorpe (the person) was not a local native. The old town name is Mauch Chunk, pronounced Mawk Chunk. A few other items, the “old” jail still held prisoners till the new county jail opened in 1995. You also did not touch on why it’s called little Switzerland, which has nothing to do with the surrounding mountains but where the town is nestled. It held the first roller coaster, the Opra house has a deeper history than most places. There are other mansions that also have history. You just did the tourist trap tour. Come back and actually see the town for its amazing history.
Thanks for the tips. Maybe will do a Jim Thorpe part 2 to get in all of your suggestions. Thanks for watching!
I think you should make your own video so we can criticize your work! hahaha
It is a cute little town, but way overselling it here. I visited with my ex girlfriend a few years ago. We were staying nearby in the Poconos for a week and looking for nice things to explore and do around the area. We came to Jim Thorpe for the scenic train ride. At the time it was advertised online to run till the end of October with all the beautiful fall foliage. We arrived to be quickly disappointed as despite the nice weather, they stopped running their train rides over a week early on I think the 21st. At that point they were like, well there is this haunted mansion you can go see instead. I'm sorry but that's just a boring empty rich peoples' house no one is living in. We walked around the cute shops and restaurants and that was okay. I can appreciate those sort of small town, mom and pop, and artsy places - they have a charm and a vibe. But it was hard to overcome the disappointment of not getting the scenic train ride - especially for my then girlfriend.
Jim Thorpe was not local he was born in Oklahoma , and never spent 1 second in the town he is buried there and they renamed the 2towns ( maah chunk and east chunk ) when they merged
found this out after thanks for the clarification and for watching.
I meet the owner of the building jail and told me a few histories and how they use to hang people there
It has an amazing haunted history too.
only if you've never been to Switzerland. Sorry, not even close
I believe the town utilizes the term "Switzerland of America" to bolster tourism and to highlight it's unique and old-world architecture, mountainous vistas, Lehigh Gorge railroad attraction, and quaint shops and restaurants. I don't think it's saying that it is comparable to Switzerland, but rather that it has elements similar to Switzerland for an American audience. Thanks for your input and for watching.
Great way to look at this little town. Jim Thorpe was a famous athlete who played for Buffalo.
Thanks for watching! I checked out some of your videos and you have great content too. Subscribed.
@@ProjectGaiaTravel You do a good job with your on-camera presence. I find it difficult to remember what I am supposed to talk about when camera is on me. Lol.
Jim Thorpe never even lived there. The town won the rights to his body and brought it to Jim Thorpe and made a memorial. Now the family are in a battle to get his body removed and brought back to them last I heard
OMG I didn't know that. @@danskinner9669
But did he have any relatives there because my daughter because my daughter married a Thorpe there and she lives there now
Im surprised you didn't show Jim Thorpe's grave, an Olympic Gold Winner 🏆🥇. His Grave is amazing, fully adorned in the Spring and Summer months. Beautiful Place. ❤
Next time for sure need to visit the grave. Thanks for the recommendation and for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel thanks for making the video. I'm 4 hrs away. Been trying to break away to catch the train ride.
Great video! My wife and I visited for our five year anniversary and it was a wonderful trip! The train rides are really nice!! 🤗
Glad you enjoyed it! What a nice anniversary trip. Thanks for watching!
I remember being sent to the camp Adams there in like 2001 or 02 and at some point we took a little field trip to the town of Jim Thorpe and I thought it was a fake town 😆 like it was set up just for show and that outside of touring the place, it was just a ghost town or something. But it was a nice looking little town. It definitely had a different feel to it
Yes the town definitely maintains a unique vibe. Thanks for watching!
Is that the juvenile detention camp?
@@futball24yes. And a lot of kids from the “kids for cash” scandal from Luzerne County were sent there.
It's not mou-ens, it's moun-tains
MAUK.......NOT MACH CHUNK. WERE DUTCH. GET IT RIGHT
Thanks for the clarification and for watching.
Having been to Switzerland 14 times over the past 20 years I would say Jim Thorpe is really not like Switzerland...🤣🙄🤦♂️👎
Jim Thorpe has definitely blossomed as a tourist spot since the late 80s/early 90s. I live in the Lehigh Valley and spend quite a bit of time in the JT area hiking. Back in the early 90s I did loads of mountain biking and even worked during the summer as a mountain bike guide for one of the rafting/biking companies. The one thing I would add to your information would be the nearby outdoor activity locations like Mauch Chunk Lake, Hickory Run State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Beltzvile State Park and loads of trails on Pennsylvania State Game lands in the area.
Thanks for all of your input, suggestions, and for watching!
I think Lincoln New Hampshire has a more American Switzerland vibe it’s a beautiful town in the mountains of New Hampshire with so many beautiful sites to see but this town seems cool too I like the small streets and building designs it has own style which I like
I live in the Poconos. I love this place so much as I’m a train guy and plenty of that there as well. I take my wife and get in the touring bike and head over a few times per year. In the summer it gets busy folks so be patient as it’s a small town packed with tourists.
Yes Jim Thorpe is definitely a unique place to visit and train enthusiasts would love it. I also heard that the railway has a train that will bring bicyclists up the mountain where they can then ride down. Worth a look into. Thanks for watching!
As someone in carbon country I hate jim Thorpe. I can’t imagine going there for “fun”. If you do go there however you better plan a lot of walking, if you plan to drive in jim Thorpe, good luck. (Realistically if you just want good views and culture I guess it’s pretty nice, but it’s just so terrible to drive thru is why everyone here hates it from around here)
I had no idea that this place existed. Wow what a find! Thanks for giving us this amazing tour and looking forward every week to more of your content.
Of course and thank you for watching!
Nice summary but there are a lot of historical sites in this town. Probably the most interesting are that some of the Molly Meguires were hung at the jail. One of the cells has a hand print on the wall from one of the Mollies that keeps coming back even though it has been painted over. The film The Molly Meguires was filmed in Jim Thorpe and Eckley’s Miners Village near Hazleton. I worked with one of the extras in the film who told stories of working with Richard Harris and Sean Connery. Another interesting item is the Switchback Railroad used to haul coal over the mountain from Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal. After the railroads took over this was used as an amusement ride and was considered the first roller coaster. It is long gone but the trails it ran on are still there and worth the hike. The Episcopal church is built into the mountain and has a rock wall. It also has a French elevator. The Packers were the founders of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. I also believe they have a connection to Bethlehem Steel. The whole story of how Mauch Chunk became Jim Thorpe is interesting too. I live in Palmerton to the south and have visited Jim Thorpe many times. It is a bit of a tourist trap now but has done a good job of bringing itself back from the coal boom and bust.
I love the history of the town and the immediate area. This part of Pennsylvania always fascinated me with its quaint and historic towns, all filled with an interesting story. Thanks for all of your input and for watching!
This really belongs on the Who Gives a Shit Channel
Jim Thorpe is fun! DEFINITELY no Switzerland though
WA-THO-HUK, aka known as Jim Thorpe, is often cited as the true record holder for the most touchdowns in a single game. The persistent racism in this country, both historical and contemporary, has overshadowed WA-THO-HUK's rightful legacy. It is a common oversight among European Americans to not fully acknowledge the breadth of WA-THO-HUK's accomplishments.
Deemed the Switzerland of America???? By who?! Only by people who've never been outside of PA. 😂
I had been there some of the stores the owners live in the secod floor, super friendly I got some spectacular photos too
Jim Thorpe nice but calling it the Switzerland of America is craaazzyyyyy😂
Beautiful and interesting old town and area. I never heard of it before.
Yes a lot of people are unaware it even exists. Its a very unique and historic town. Check it out.
Next video;
Moscow, PA - Exploring The Russia of America
I lived in the Harry Packer B&B from 93-96. I've seen that hand print a few times. I'm not saying its not real but if you look closely you can see layers of paint around it. None of those men got a fair trial. Today the charges would've been thrown out.
Very interesting. What an amazing place to call home. They didn't get a fair trial and I agree the charges would've been thrown out. Thanks for watching!
And OK.... Asa Packer was, in fact, a man. "She" was not a prominent figure here. "He" was. My goodness, man. Nice presentation, but please do your research.
I was just in Switzerland and I was thinking it was the Pennsylvania of Europe…
Why Switzerland? is it the chocolate? the cheese? the banking? the consistent neutrality?..
I thought Ouray Colorado is the Switzerland of America
It’s a quant town, but Switzerland? There’s no mountains! Rolling hills, but certainly no alps.
Used to live in Lansford and went to Panther Valley high school. Also, use to run in the annual race back in the day. Not quite sure if they have their running races in Jim Thorpe anymore? Also, used to catch the Martz Trailways bus in Jim Thorpe to go to Atlantic City.
Nope, Jim Thorpe is nothing like Switzerland, I have been to both places. Starting that Switzerland has an universal healthcare and is a super developed country, Jim Thorpe is a hillbilly place. I didn’t like it.
This place is a nice place if you're in Pa ... But it's no Switzerland.. just putting that out there
Fun fact. The first time Jim Thorpe visited Jim Thorpe, PA is when he was buried there.
I’m sure Jim Thorpe would be disgusted by the Rainbow Flags and pot stores.
Jim Thorpe never lived there, his wife illegally sold his body to the town to bury him there and then they changed the name of the town to attract tourist
Fun fact ouray Colorado is also called the Switzerland of America
You have a key fact wrong. Jim Thorpe was not a "local"...he never even visited that town during his life. Do the research you should have done before you released this video.
I didn't know Switzerland has also had a tsunami of methamphetamine.. or is that just Jim Thorpe
This near Carlisle? Thorpe went to school there not sure why any town would name themselves 1st & last How bout just Thorpe
The mansions are cool, but the true Gem of Jim Thorpe is that old church on the hill. Get a tour of that place and you’ll be amazed regardless of you’re religious thoughts.
Thanks for the info, I'll definitely have to check out the church next time I'm in town. Thanks for watching!
Robin Trower performs in Jim Thorpe . ✨🎸✨🇺🇸 ( No pun intended ) 😂
very cool thanks for watching
Yea, that train is coal powered. I know, I’ve delivered it for them.
In what way exactly is this the Switzerland of America?
I live just south of Jim Thorpe in Montgomeryville Bucks County area. Have been going to Glen Ononko park for years. How things have changed. I can remember going there and it seemed like it was an unknown hidden gem with the waterfalls hiking up the side of the mountain to the top and also the train tunnel. Jumping off the bridge into the water below. It has definitely come about with time and has become a tourist attraction which is great for the community…….
For sure. I love Bucks county as well. Thanks for watching!
Im from upper bucks myself as well.
Went to the falls for the first time yesterday. Know of any of good falls/trails?
My daughter married a Thorpe and lives in Pennsylvania and yes they do have relatives that's up in the mountains
Very cool and interesting. Thanks for watching!
Having grown up in Slatington/Washington Township (only about 20 minutes away from Jim Thorpe) I can say that this recent explosion of tourism and aesthetics is fairly recent. The Jim Thorpe of my youth is not the same one as that which you toured. Tis for the better.
Yes this is what I heard from many of the locals. Great that it was cleaned up and is a better town to visit now. Maybe will have to do an interview video from Jim Thorpe locals. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel that would be glorious!!! I would note that over the last 5 years the Jim Thorpe-Slatington-Lehighton area has undergone a massive demographic shift. A lot of people have moved out or died
@@ProjectGaiaTravel don't come you make living in JT hell when you all come to look at this small town
Jim Thorpe never set foot there, thus he was NOT a local athlete. Do a bit of research to avoid sounding foolish.
Take a shot every time he says to "check out" something
I live like around an hour from Jim Thorpe and it’s one of my favorite place to visit, we haven’t able to go this month in October to their fall event cause it’s been raining every Saturday 😢
Ughh i Know tell me about the rain. There are memes already talking about how its nice all week then on Saturday- always rain. Thanks for watching!
When it wasn't raining, you couldn't get into town. Traffic was backed up all the way up the Mansion House Hill. There was an article in the Times News where they called is "Trafficgeddeon." If they are going to continue doing Fall Fest, they either need to add commuter rail, or more extensive shuttles. It's a great place to go and fall is beautiful, but I feel that it's best visited anytime OTHER THAN fall, because it's not built for the crowds that come.
God save us if that's our Switzerland.
STROM BROTHERS Slate & Copper Roofers do a lot of the Slate and Copper Roofs in that area. They are one of the best Slate & Copper Roofers in the Nation. Top Quality materials and excellent craftsmanship.
Very cool. In a world of mass produced crap we need more builders like this. Thanks for your input and for watching!
@@ProjectGaiaTravel It's like working with old craftsmen who know their craft when they work. They did a copper roof on our porch 20 years ago and it's still like brand new. PA has all sorts of little towns and cities that are so unique. It's a wonderful state with I believe some of the friendliest people. They need to correct their vote problems so they maintain the beauty of their unique state.
is it just a tourist town?
No.
One of the most racist areas I’ve visited. Very ironic to the Jim Thorpe name- not that he ever stepped foot in it
Jim Thorpe is my favorite small town in Pennsylvania. It is very classy with some fine restaurants and art galleries. You won't find that in other small towns. Although a bit touristy it still seems authentic.
For sure it has an elegant vibe as well with some of the high end restaurants and galleries. Thanks for watching!
GREAT VIDEO, I WAS BORN ON RACE ST. MACH CHUNK 73 YEARS AGO. YOU SHOULD HAVE SHOWN A GLIMSE OF THE JIM THORPE GRAVE MEMORIAL UP ON RT 903 GOING EAST OUT OF TOWN UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS TOWARD ALBRIGHTSVILLE PA.
Thanks for watching and yea for sure next time I visit will have to check that out. Maybe I'll make a short for this and add it to the Pennsylvania playlist.
All of that virtue signaling is a giant red flag before visiting this place.
I like the Chinese food place and the 100 mile view