My family and I are on a week-long trip to the Poconos which I am recording parts of here. Follow along, if you want.
Today, we went into the town of Jim Thorpe for train and trolley rides. Yesterday, I said that we like to visit a garden of some kind when we travel. We also like to take scenic train trips if they are available. So that's what we did.
Jim Thorpe is a small tourist town in the Poconos that is especially popular during the fall leaf season. So the real trick is finding a place to park. Luckily, we got one of the last spaces.
Here are some pictures from our day. (I'll try not to include the many blurry ones we took from moving cars.)
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| This is an open air train car, but we rode in a closed one because I have been cold one too many times in an open air car. 🥶 |
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| We rode through some beautiful scenery with interesting commentary. |
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| The train trip was followed by sandwiches in the car and then a hike on a rail trail that goes through town while waiting for our trolley tour. |
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| We took a detour off the trail to the Lehigh River. |
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| The trolley tour gave a good overview of the area with many interesting facts. |
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| We saw lots of interesting Victorian architecture. |
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| We learned that Jim Thorpe was built as a coal and railroad town. When the coal industry had a downturn in the early 1900s, some enterprising person, sold rides down the mountain at 40-60 mph in a converted coal car. At one point, these wild rides were the second most visited tourist attraction in the US after Niagara Falls. |
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| The town of Jim Thorpe* was called Mauch Chunk until the mid 1950s. Jim Thorpe's widow wanted a memorial for Jim after he died, but none of the places that he was associated with could come up for the money, so she asked for bids. With the promise of tourism and great things to come, the town of Mauch Chunk won. Of course, that decision was not without controversy and went through several court cases. |
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| After we filled our heads with Jim Thorpe knowledge, we filled out bellies with ice cream. |
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Then it was back to our house for puzzles and leftovers.
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Until next time...
*From Wikipedia
James Francis Thorpe (Meskwaki: Wa-Tho-Huk; May 22 or 28,[4] 1887 – March 28, 1953) was an American athlete who won Olympic gold medals and played professional football, baseball, and basketball. A citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation, he was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, Thorpe won two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics (one in classic pentathlon and the other in decathlon).
Interesting stuff! I like that you always try to see a garden and go on a train trip as part of your travels.
ReplyDeleteThe gardens are for me and the train for my husband. Although, the whole family has come to enjoy both activities.
DeleteOh how fun! It looks like perfect leaf peeping on the train. Looks like a pretty town with a fascinating history, and what fun to ride the trolley. Those were some brave souls to hurtle down the mountain on a coal car. I wonder if it ever jumped the track.
ReplyDeleteIf my father had been around, screaming down the mountain in one of those coal cars would have been right up his alley. Supposedly, coal car ride was the inspiration for the first roller coaster.
DeleteI enjoyed riding along (just a little) with you all as you toured Jim Thorpe. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, actually riding in the coal car was not part of the tour. 🫣
DeleteYou have a gorgeous picture of the river. I love the early stage of autumn best, when there are green leaves mixed in with the colors. This looks like a day that I would have greatly enjoyed. :)
ReplyDeleteThe river really was a beautiful spot. I think you would have liked it, too.
DeleteWhen my dear friend planned to honeymoon in the Poconos back in the 90's I thought it was a tropical island. lol That's some fascinating history, my dear; thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty far from a tropical island, fun all the same.
DeleteI'm grateful to you for sharing this fun. :D
DeleteThis looks like a fun trip. We are partial to those train rides also.
ReplyDeleteThe train is especially popular during leaf season. We didn’t plan that but happy it worked out that way.
DeleteThanks for the great photos and enjoyable post. I would enjoy that train ride.
ReplyDeleteThe train ride was fun. You probably would enjoy it.
DeleteYou had a great second day of vacation. I would have enjoyed the train ride and seeing all the autumn leaves. I didn't know that there was a town named after Jim Thorpe!
ReplyDeleteEven though it’s only a few hours away, I hadn’t heard of Jim Thorpe until a couple of years ago.
DeleteI like Jim Thorpe better than Mauch Chunk. Sounds like a candy bar.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is the land of candy bar towns with Hershey not far away.😋
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