Log In


Reset Password

Victorian homes featured in Jim Thorpe tour

On Sunday, hundreds of visitors enjoyed the unique opportunity of touring Victorian homes in the Historic District on Jim Thorpe.

Many of these buildings are private homes generally not open to the public. The last open house tour was three years ago.The tour featured 19 homes, all built during the Victorian era -- during the reign of Queen Victoria of England from 1837 to 1901. Victorian architecture refers to a time period, not a building style. During this period, popular building styles were: Gothic Revival 1840-1880, Italianate 1850-1880, Second Empire 1860-1880, and Queen Anne 1880-1910.The houses on the 2011 Victorian House Tour were:Mauch Chunk Opera House - 14 W. BroadwayAn Addison Hutton building completed in 1882 that served as a stop on the vaudeville circuit before becoming a movie theater. In 1973, it was purchased by the Mauch Chunk Historical Society and has been slowly renovated into a concert hall.Defeo's Manor - 5 W. BroadwayAn 1880s Queen Ann style home built for Banker John C. Dolon.Three Mountains Gallery - 29 Race StreetAn 1848 home built on Stone Row for the employees of railroad magnate Asa Packer.St. Mark's Episcopal Church - 21 Race St.Gothic Revival church constructed of gray sandstone and built into the side of the mountain. Designed by Richard Upjohn and completed in 1869. Contains Tiffany stained glass windows and an operational early Otis elevator.Homespun & Cozy Inn - 12 & 14 Race St.1850s Federalist style double home built on the site of a former horse stable.Harry Packer Mansion - 19 Packer Ave.Gothic style home completed in 1874 for Harry Packer, son of Asa Packer. It is currently a bed and breakfast.Kemmerer Carriage House - Packer Ave.The 1878 Carriage House is the last remaining building from the Kemmerer estate that is now Kemmerer Park. The building is in the process of being restored by the Mauch Chunk Museum and the Mauch Chunk Historical Society.Inn at Jim Thorpe - 24 BroadwayThe former American Hotel was built in 1851 following the fire of 1849 that destroyed the downtown business district. The New Orleans style building is now a 47-room hotel.Fatzinger Mansion - 55 BroadwayBuilt in the 1840s, it is the town's oldest surviving mansion. It served the families of Fatzinger, Salkeld and Blakslee into the 20th century.Dimmick Memorial Library - 54 BroadwayDesigned by J. Rooney Williamson, this Jacobean style cross-gabled building opened in 1890. A major reconstruction took place after a 1979 fire nearly destroyed the building.Friends House Annex of the Dimmick - 58 BroadwayThe building was constructed in 1889 for Asa Packer Blakslee and his wife Louisa Foster Sayre. It is currently the outlet for book sales for the Dimmick Library.Stevenson House - 72 BroadwaySituated in the middle of Millionaire's Row, this 17-room Second Empire and French Renaissance revival style home was based on a building originally constructed before 1850 as the Lentz family townhouse. In 1948, it became the home and office of Dr. George and Laura Thomas, and when they passed away, it became the home of their daughter Laura and her husband Bob Stevenson.Rendon House - 80 BroadwayThis Millionaire's Row 15-room Italianate home was originally built for Isaac T. Dodson in 1827. It was later occupied by the Millers, Lockharts and Brodheads. It is currently a bed and breakfast.Walbert House - 87 BroadwayAn 1869 brick Italianate townhouse built for Alexander W. Butler, one of Mauch Chunk's early bankers. It is currently the home of Ben and Carole Walbert.Monteleone Design - 97 BroadwayBuilt before the Civil War for Daniel Bertsch, one of Mauch Chunk's earliest millionaires, the building now houses the Suites On Broadway Bed and Breakfast and Marianne Monteleone Design.Galerie b - 108 BroadwayThe oldest building in Jim Thorpe, it is one of seven surviving buildings of 16 Stone Row houses built on Broadway in 1822. It currently houses a gallery of shops.Marion Hose Company - 16 West BroadwayBuilt in 1885 to house Mauch Chunk's oldest fire company, the Marion Hose Company went out of existence and the building was purchased by the Mauch Chunk Historical Society. This year, it was sold to Andrew Roberts to be used for his Purple Audio business.Gilded Cupid B&B - 40 West BroadwayBuilt around 1855, this Italianate building was acquired and modified in the 1880s by Mary Packer Cummings. In 1995, it was purchased by Sheila O'Neil and Bob Ewashko and renovated into a bed and breakfast.Mauch Chunk Museum & Cultural Center - 41 West BroadwayThe site of the former St. Paul's Methodist Church, this 1873 building followed an earlier 1843 church on the site. Vacated by the church in 1976, it was bought by local businessman John Drury and renovated into the town's museum with a ballroom on the second floor.

Ronald and Sharon Klein of northeastern Pennsylvania visit the balcony of the Harry Packer Mansion during Sunday's Jim Thorpe Victorian House Tour.