Divided by the Lehigh River and united by the athlete
Although the greatest athlete in the world never stopped foot in town, the Native American Olympic Gold Medalist Jim Thorpe’s legacy thrives in this small Pennsylvania borough. Originally named Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk, after the Olympian’s death, the town was renamed to honor the athlete and have his remains buried in the town. The main streets, Center Avenue and Broadway to the south of the river and North Street in the north, lay in straight lines through the borough. Smaller streets branch off in a grid system, and upon leaving the main borough, the roads begin twisting through the countryside. Across the river to the west, Victorian England has made a home in Pennsylvania. The buildings on Broadway sit close to the road and pressed against each other, with local shops and restaurants popping up every few buildings. “The town is Instagrammable,” says Xander Weidenbaum, president of Redstone Run Realty. “It’s very tourism-heavy, especially in the summer months.” To the east of the river, the neighborhood of Jim Thorpe has more room to breathe, although homes and businesses do tend to have smaller lots. This section is home to Jim Thorpe’s grave and Memorial Hall.
Surrounded by the Poconos Mountains
Memorial Park sits between East 10th and East 9th Street, where children can run through the play areas as adults set up for a picnic in the pavilion. The Jim Thorpe Memorial Hall, just a block from the park, has stone figurines of Jim Thorpe and educational boards for residents to read. The Lehigh Gorge State Park, Jim Thorpe entrance sits along the Lehigh River and gives access to 165 miles of leisurely hiking or biking through the Poconos Mountains.
Broadway shopping with no franchises
The Jim Thorpe Market has a large selection of groceries, while along North Street, the smell of pizzas from Gaetano’s Pizza and sandwiches from Tommy’s Subs fill the air. Along Broadway across the river, shops of all kinds line the street, from coffee shops to bookstores to vintage clothing stores. “There’s people hanging out, partying, it’s popping,” Weidenbaum says. Pedestrians explore the storefronts of Broadway as cars carefully make their way down the two-lane road.
Honoring Jim Thorpe and train rides
Most events throughout town are centered either on Jim Thorpe or on the Poconos Mountains. Jim Thorpe’s birthday celebration, held at the high school, is on May 18th, 2024, complete with birthday cake, a celebratory track and field event and food and craft vendors. For a more nature-centered excursion, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway takes passengers on a 70-minute train ride into Lehigh Gorge State Park and back. The bike train brings bikers to the Lehigh Gorge Trailhead, where they can then bike the 25 miles back into town.
American Foursquares in-town and New Traditional in the country
Within town gives residents the small-town vibe, but as soon as the roads leave the main area, they begin weaving through dense forests of the Pennsylvania countryside. Land plots in the countryside are available beginning around $23,000 and can reach about $330,000. Within the town, American Foursquares built around the turn of the 20th century sit on hills, there are a few other housing styles present within town such as split-levels, but Foursquares are the dominant style. They tend to be closer together and have smaller yard spaces. Prices begin around $160,000 and can reach about $290,000. Leaving the main roads of Jim Thorpe, the landscape becomes densely packed with trees and homes disappear behind long driveways. Most homes hidden in the trees are either manufactured homes, beginning around $125,000 and reaching $225,000, or New Traditional homes. New Traditional homes have a larger price range, beginning around $270,000 and reaching about $450,000.
Two countryside bus lines
Carbon Transit offers two buses between Coaldale to the west of Jim Thorpe and Palmerton to the southeast. Bus 702 comes every three hours, and bus 701 comes every four hours. U.S. Route 209 follows the Lehigh River as it crosses through Jim Thorpe. Route 209 runs through the states of Pennsylvania and New York.
Area school district with over 20 sports for high schoolers
Students begin at L.B. Morris School for kindergarten through eighth grade, receiving a grade of C from Niche. Jim Thorpe Area High School receives a B-plus from Niche and offers Advanced Placement courses to students. The high school also has 22 sports and 34 clubs and activities.
Written By
Samantha Hacker
Photography Contributed By
Jay Ratchford
