OT: Jim Thorpe On The Move

[z28jd]

Thought members here might be interested in this story http://www.app.com/viewart/20130419/NJNEWS18/304190146/Judge-sides-sons-about-Jim-Thorpe-s-remains?sf11888773=1

[Bored5000]

Thanks for posting the article. I live 45 minutes from Jim Thorpe, Pa., so I was aware that Thorpe's surviving children have been fighting in recent years to have his body returned to Oklahoma. IMO, the article is kinda misleading with the claim that the town is a "popular tourist destination replete with trendy shops."

I have visited Thorpe's memorial a couple times when I have been in the area, but I don't know that it does much to attract visitors. I actually expected a lot more when I visited the memorial for the first time. I agree with several of the sentiments expressed in this trip advisor link that the Thorpe Memorial is relatively neat if you are in the area, but it is not really worth traveling any great distance to see. The town still feels like an area that has been left behind by the evolution of industry.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g52905-d2236719-Reviews-Jim_Thorpe_Memorial-Jim_Thorpe_Pocono_Mountains_Region_Pennsylvania.ht ml

An F.Y.I. to people outside the area: the athletic teams of the local Jim Thorpe Area School District are named the "Olympians."

[AMBST95]

My family has a place up in Poconos Pines which is about 30-40 minutes from Jim Thorpe. It's really just a small town with lots of antique shops and some outdoor adventure shops. Going rafting on the Lehigh is a fun family trip and riding the train can be good with the kids, but as far as an association with the athletic prowess of Jim Thorpe, the town really lacks much. I'm sure that at the time it helped boost interest in the town which created an environment to build its tourist industry around the outdoor sport/adventure and antiquing market. I've never been to the memorial, but I doubt the memorial brings a lot of people in to town any more, it's the other things I've mentioned. The borough is lucky that the interest in Jim Thorpe is so low because they'd be dealing with a PR nightmare if mainstream media picked it up.

[kkkkandp]

I'm sure much has changed since the last time I was in that town 35 years ago. My wife graduated from what was at the time East Stroudsburg State College. We went to the wedding of one of her classmates and the reception was at the Jim Thorpe Rod and Gun Club. At the time a lot of the town was really pretty seedy and run down. The park and grave are pretty cool as those things go, but I don't think many people go to the town specifically to see it.