THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2010
14
Escapes JIM THORPE, PA. More than just a name by Brian Yarvin Jim Thorpe, Pa., is a town that offers so much to
do that it might scare people. With rafting, moun- tain biking, paintball, gallery hopping, hiking, museums, shopping, concert venues and steam train excursions, it’s understandable if some peo- ple worry that they’ll be sucked into a vortex of guided activity if they visit. I’m here to tell you otherwise: You can have a
great time in Jim Thorpe even if you don’t want to do anything. For me, a nice stroll up Broadway, a beer in a classic Penn- sylvania tavern or even just a browse through racks of used books out- side an antiques store make this town of 5,000 about 40 miles north- west of Bethlehem worth a visit. Before we go any fur-
Jim Thorpe, Pa., has a memorial to the Native American athlete after whom the town was named in 1954.
ther, let’s answer the question that’s on every- body’s mind: How did Jim Thorpe get its name? In the early 1950s, when the place was two adjoining towns, Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk, it was looking for a shot of publicity. It soon heard that the third wife of the late Jim Thorpe, the great Native American athlete, was of-
fering his remains to any place that would build a fitting memorial to him. Mauch Chunk was ready, willing and able. The body arrived on Feb. 8, 1954, and the first monument was built soon after. And on May 18 of the same year, Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were merged and renamed Jim Thorpe. The town has seen it all. During the early 1900s, the flood of tourists riding the Switchback Gravity Railroad — the railway that hauled coal from the mines at Summit Hill down to the town and that many consider the nation’s first roller coaster — made it second only to Niagara Falls as an Amer- ican tourist destination. Yet when the Great De- pression hit and the railroad was sold for scrap, the place became destitute. Things started turning around in the late 1970s, when artists began buy- ing the old stone rowhouses, Lehigh Gorge State Park was created and the current community started taking shape. One recent morning, I strolled up the route of the Switchback Gravity Railroad. Today, with the rails removed, it’s a pleasant journey for hikers and mountain bikers. Roughly paralleling West Broadway, it leads up a steep slope with views of the town. Back in the day, the Gravity Railroad would hit 60 mph rolling down this hill. It must have been quite a ride. I left the path at the top of West Broadway and visited the CCCP, the Carbon County Cultural Proj-
PHOTOS BY BRIAN YARVIN Homes that have been converted into small shops sell old eggbeaters, used books and other items. 0 MILES 80 PENNSYLVANIA 76 81 MD. 66 VA. D.C. 95 Baltimore DEL. GENE THORP/THE WASHINGTON POST
Getting there Jim Thorpe, Pa., is a little over 200 miles from Washington. Take Interstate 95 north to I-476 north. Take Exit 74 (Mahoning Valley) and follow Route 209 south about five miles into town.
ect, a cluster of art galleries in a repurposed gar- ment factory with a hip restaurant and cocktail bar attached. There’s plenty of interesting work on the walls, but the most fascinating aspect is the center itself. Beautifully rebuilt and completely contemporary, it feels urban enough to be in New York or London. As I walked back down the hill, it was the houses that grabbed my attention: typical Penn- sylvania working class at the top, becoming more affluent as you approach Market Square and the train station. Many of the homes had been con- verted into small shops. Most of the stores sold decorative objects: prints, jewelry, woodcarvings and old household items. At noon on a spring Saturday, I greeted the owners as they set up shop on their front porches. I stopped, admired some old hand-cranked egg- beaters and passed them by. Ditto for the used
Harrisburg 78 476 76
Philadelphia N.J.
Atlantic Ocean
95 50 81 Bethlehem
Jim Thorpe 80
N.Y. New York
books and the bath and body-care stuff. I’m not much of a shopper. Later on, I visited the Anita Shapolsky Art
Foundation, a small museum named for the New York art dealer who set it up in an old church. When I walked through the door, the woman in charge cried out, “This is an art museum!” Of course it was. The abstract impressionist paintings by Ernest Briggs and Seymour Board- man on display had an exuberance and energy that fit the town and set the mood for the rest of my day. Looking for something to eat, I went to a friend- ly local tavern. Pennsylvania has a long tradition of great beers on tap and solid meals served along- side. At Antonio’s, a place that somehow combines a classic beer bar and pizzeria, I ate a huge plate of pasta at the bar while drinking Yuengling Lager, the legendary local beer. Within 15 minutes, I was talking beer, food and history with the regulars. When it was time for more-serious outdoor ac- tivities, I headed to Glen Okono, a few miles away in Lehigh Gorge State Park. It’s the base for the 25- mile rail trail along the Lehigh River Valley, a parking area for rafters and kayakers, the start of the steep footpath up to Glen Okono Falls and a lo- cal swimming hole. Evenings bring a whole new set of choices. Bars and cafes have entertainment, the Opera House and Penn’s Peak theater host nationally known acts, and meals at fine-dining restaurants are a possibility. But a pleasant stroll, a modest dinner and some conversation with the locals is enough for me. Remember, there’s plenty to do here. You’re free to rent a bike, raft the river or hop a steam train. There’s always something. Just don’t feel that you have to do it all.
travel@washpost.com
Yarvin is a writer and photographer from central New Jersey.
Sunday in Travel: The Impulsive Traveler searches for the distinctive in Huntsville, Ala. STAYING THERE
Inn at Jim Thorpe 24 Broadway 570-325-2599
www.innjt.com Right in town, with modest rooms to luxury suites. Rates start at $100.
EATING THERE
Antonio’s Italian Restaurant 43 Broadway 570-325-3679 Where the locals go. They have plain-looking pizza in the window, but you’ll do much better with the solid pasta entrees and beer on tap. Meals typically cost $7-$15.
PLAYING THERE
Carbon County Cultural Project 268 W. Broadway 570-325-8284
www.thecccp.org Not just art, but meals, snacks and even cocktails, too. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Anita Shapolsky Art Foundation 20 W. Broadway 570-325-5815
www.asartfoundation.org Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donations accepted.
Glen Okono Lehigh Gorge State Park White Haven, Pa. 570-443-0400
www.dcnr.state.pa.us Jumping-off point for all sorts of adventures, including a 25-mile rail trail and a short but steep hike up to a waterfall.
INFORMATION
www.jimthorpepa.com
IF YOU GO
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