Who was Jim Thorpe? He was a famous Native-American athlete, who many believe was the greatest athlete to ever live. Although he is not from there, a town in Pennsylvania is named after him.
Why is this town named Jim Thorpe?
The town was originally named Mauch Chunk, which means Bear Place in the Munsee-Lenape Native American language.
Thorpe’s home state of Oklahoma had refused to erect a memorial in his honour. His third wife looked for a town to honour her late husband’s athletic achievements in the Olympics, amateur and professional sports.
She and Mauch Chunk officials struck a deal. Jim Thorpe’s remains were moved to the town and the town was renamed Jim Thorpe. The town honours him every year for a two day celebration. Jim excelled in track and field, football and baseball. Thorpe won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912. Jim Thorpe played professional football, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and was the NFL’s first president. He also played professional baseball. Thorpe never visited the town, but attended a school near the town- the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
Signage
What caught my eye while visiting the town was the signage. There were some interesting fonts used. Here are some examples below.
Jim Thorpe Olive Oil Company had flavoured oils, dips, and soups that you could sample. They also sold gluten-free pasta options.
Fun Signs
I had intended to return today on my way back home to take more pictures, but it was raining hard much of the day, so that did not happen. This town is a tourist draw. It is in the area of the Poconos in Pennsylvania. This is an area with kayaking, white water rafting, hiking trails, camping, hotels and resorts. It has a lot of interesting shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. If you are in that area swing by for a few hours and check it out.
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Merci beaucoup
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What a lovely story!
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It is! I’m glad the town stepped up to honour him the way he should have been.
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Now and then I see an old photo labeled Mauch Chunk, usually connected to coal mining, so I figured the name had something to do with that. I did wonder about it!
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The towns name before the photo. It used words by the local Indian tribe.
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Interesting! I was intrigued enough to look him up. He was quite the sportsman. I also read that other members of his family later tried to move his remains back to be next to those of family members, but it never happened.
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Other family members wanted his remains to stay as well in Pennsylvania because what the town did.
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So interesting! I read a book on him in 4th grade from my school library and have never forgotten him. Love the signs too.
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This little tourist town seems to be doing well. That whole area centers around fitness so it’s a great place to honour him.
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Looks like an interesting town to visit!
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It is interesting. It’s small and walkable with unique shops. It’s a nice stop if you both go for a weekend hike. They even have a gastro pub with hibachi and sushi.
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Interesting history, Sharon, and I love the signs!
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The signs are cool!
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Thanks! Wish I could have went back the next day. It was not to be. We had torrential rains on and off.
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This beautiful little town is only about 40 miles from where I live.
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Nice! It’s a cool little town!
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It is such a great town.
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Thank you for this interesting history. How sad that Oklahoma didn’t want to honor their special son. But all the better for Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania!
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Times and people change luckily. There are many today in Oklahoma who have some Native American ancestry. It’s a good area for him to be honored. A lot of recreation in the area: kayaking, hiking, white water rafting, etc. The state is also football crazy.
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