By Linda Thieman
When you set out on your visit to the Pocono Mountains in Western Pennsylvania, you may be aware of a host of outdoor activities that include camping, fishing, skiing and boating. But the area is also alive with rich local history, each small town or hamlet brimming over with secrets from the past. Consider these delightful historical mansions, museums and walking tours the next time you're in the Poconos.
Asa Packer Mansion
The Asa Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe, built in 1861, is an Italian-style villa with a small tower on top that offers a view looking down onto the town below. Originally the home of railroad magnet and philanthropist Asa Packer, Packer's daughter Mary willed the home to the Borough of Mauch Chunk in 1912 with all the original belongings. The 11,000-square-foot Victorian home was opened, unchanged, for public viewing in 1956.
Asa Packer Mansion
Packer Hill Road (Elm Street)
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Tel: (570) 325-3229
Stroud Mansion
The Stroud Mansion in Stroudsburg was the home of Col. Jacob Stroud, who built the formidable structure in 1795. Now a museum, you can enjoy a one-hour tour of the rooms as they were, with antique toys, textiles, tools and weapons, and a Native American collection.
Stroud Mansion
900 Main Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Tel: (570) 421-7703
Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery
The Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery is housed in a two-story brick school house, built around 1850, with a school room still intact. Other features include an art gallery with rotating exhibits of local artists. The history of Delaware Water Gap is also on display, from the natural surroundings to the original settlers.
Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery
Main Street (Route 611)
Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
Tel: (570) 476-4240
dutotmuseum.com
Dorflinger Glass Museum
Lead crystal pieces from Dorflinger Glass Works are known all over the world and have even appeared on the tables of past presidents of the United States. The glass works factory operated in the small town of White Mills for over 50 years and surviving pieces are now on display at the Dorflinger Glass Museum, part of the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary.
Dorflinger Glass Museum
PO Box 356
White Mills, PA 18473
Phone: (570) 253-1185
dorflinger.org
Walking Tours
Get out in the fresh air and see the sights with one of the many available Pocono Mountains walking tours. Hawley has a two-mile tour that takes you through both the beauty of nature along the Lackawaxen River and the local historical sites. Jim Thorp offers up a self-guided tour through the historic town, built in 1816, known for its miners and millionaires. Milford lets you guide yourself through a leisurely walking tour of their National Historic District that seems to take you back in time to 1733.
Hawley Walking Tours
Route 6
Hawley, PA 18428
Tel: (570) 226-3191
Jim Thorpe Walking Tours
Broadway & Race Streets
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Tel: (570) 325-5810
Milford Walking Tours
Harford and Broad Streets
Milford, PA 18337
Tel: (570) 296-8700
About the Author:
Linda Thieman has 15 years' experience as a freelance writer and editor. She's the author of the children's book series "Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story." A former English teacher, Thieman has traveled extensively and lived in Europe, Asia and The Middle East. She holds a master's degree in French and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of Northern Iowa.
