Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

Information about Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

Borough of Jim Thorpe
Country |United States
State |Pennsylvania
County |Carbon
Area |14.8 mi (0 km)
 - land14.5 mi (0 km)
 - water0.3 mi (0 km), 0%
Center |
 - coordinatesCoordinates:
 - elevation1,519 ft (0 m)
Population |4,804 (2000)
Density332.1 /mi (0 /km)
Time zone |EST (UTC-5)
 - summer (DST)EDT (UTC-4)
Area code |570
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Location of Jim Thorpe in Carbon County
Location of Jim Thorpe in Carbon County
Enlarge picture
Location of Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania
Location of Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania
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Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: [1]


Jim Thorpe is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,804 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon CountyGR6. The boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk merged and took on the name of Jim Thorpe following the 1953 death of Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe in hopes to attract tourism and other attention to help its economy. The town has also been referred to as the "Switzerland of America", as can be seen in an old drawing of the town showcased in a restaurant therein. This may also be the cause of the building next to the Sunrise Diner having "Hotel Switzerland" painted onto its front. The town was so nicknamed due to the picturesque scenery, mountainous location, and architecture. The town was founded by Lehigh Coal Company, and was home to the Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad, generally acknowledged as the first roller coaster in the United States.

History

Mauch Chunk was founded in 1818 by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company and rapidly became a railroad and coal-shipping centre. Population: 1900, 4020; 1910, 3952.

The history of the town is inscribed in the architecture that makes up its many 19th century styles. Former resident, architectural historian Hans Egli, noted the vast range of architectural styles, from Federalist, to Greek Revival, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and Richardsonian Romanesque. Fortunately, most of these architectural examples remain completely intact and were only covered in unimaginative "modern" siding that has since been removed.

Robert Venturi, a renowned Philadelphia-based architect, conducted a little known planning study in the 1970's that attempted to understand the dynamics of historicism and tourism, notions that have come into their own in contemporary times. While Venturi's planning study was unique at the time, it has since become a critical factor in Jim Thorpe's rebound as a functioning and economically stable construct. Jim Thorpe currently benefits from tourism initially spurred on by the celebration of its old architecture and has since then spawned into new industries that are modern creations. Two of these relative newcomers to the Jim Thorpe area are Paintball and White Water rafting.

Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad

In 1827, a mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania constructed a 14-kilometre downhill track, known as a gravity railroad, to deliver coal (and a miner to operate the mine train's brake) to the Lehigh Canal in Mauch Chunk, PA. This was responsible for opening up the area to commerce. By the 1850s, the "Gravity Road" (as it became known) was providing rides to thrillseekers for 50 cents a ride. This is often designated as the first roller coaster in the United States. The Switchback Gravity Railroad Foundation was formed to study the feasibility of preserving and interpreting the remains of the Switchback Gravity Railroad on top of Mount Pisgah.

Geography

East Jim Thorpe is located at (40.872938, -75.736449)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 38.3 km² (14.8 mi²). 37.5 km² (14.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (2.03%) is water. Jim Thorpe is located 3 miles north of Lehighton and 3 miles east of Nesquehoning. Jim Thorpe's elevation is at 1519 feet above sea level.[1]

Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 4,804 people, 1,967 households, and 1,335 families residing in the borough. The population density was 128.2/km² (332.1/mi²). There were 2,193 housing units at an average density of 58.5/km² (151.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.36% White, 0.62% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population. A plurality of Jim Thorpe's residents are of Irish descent, typified by the connection to the Molly Maguires and large amount of Irish pride seen throughout the town (e.g. flags).

There were 1,967 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.0% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $35,976, and the median income for a family was $43,710. Males had a median income of $31,141 versus $23,490 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,119. About 7.8% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

Jim Thorpe is quickly becoming a tourist destination, with many businesses catering to White Water Rafting, Mountain Biking, Paintball, and Hiking. Along with these Adventure Sports Jim Thorpe is popular among railroading fans, and is known for its extraordinary architecture.

The town is also home to the Asa Packer and Harry Packer Mansions. The former was the founder of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and Lehigh University. The latter was the son of Asa. Both mansions sit next to one another on a hill overlooking downtown Jim Thorpe. The Asa Packer Mansion is currently a museum and has been conducting tours since Memorial Day of 1956. The Harry Packer Mansion is now a bed and breakfast.

References

1. ^ USGS. Borough of Jim Thorpe. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.

External links

  •  • [ e] Municipalities and communities of
Carbon County, Pennsylvania
County seat: Jim Thorpe
Boroughs Beaver Meadows | Bowmanstown | East Side | Jim Thorpe | Lansford | Lehighton | Nesquehoning | Palmerton | Parryville | Summit Hill | Weatherly | Weissport
Townships Banks | East Penn | Franklin | Kidder | Lausanne | Lehigh | Lower Towamensing | Mahoning | Packer | Penn Forest | Towamensing
Communities and CDPs Tresckow | Weissport East
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Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 58,802.

Carbon County marks the northern border of the Lehigh Valley region of the state and is considered part of the state's Coal Region, though the eastern and
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square mile is an imperial and US unit of area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with the archaic miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared.
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Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km² is equal to:
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  • 100 ha (hectare)
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The metre or meter[1](symbol: m) is the fundamental unit of length in the International System of Units (SI).
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Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km² is equal to:
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Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 58,802.

Carbon County marks the northern border of the Lehigh Valley region of the state and is considered part of the state's Coal Region, though the eastern and
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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Nickname(s): Keystone State, Quaker State,
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Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence

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The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census.
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Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 58,802.

Carbon County marks the northern border of the Lehigh Valley region of the state and is considered part of the state's Coal Region, though the eastern and
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Jim Thorpe

Position(s): RB, DB Jersey #(s):
31
Born: May 28 1888(1888--)
Died: March 28 1953 (aged 66)
Career Information

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roller coaster (the term jet coaster is sometimes used for roller coasters in Japan) is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first roller coaster on January 20 1885.
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