"We have not been there since 1999," said Palmerton Area Historical Society secretary Betsy Burnhauser at the Feb. 11 meeting. She was talking about the Asa Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe where Packer made his home.

He was a businessman, politician and founder of Lehigh University.Unlike most society trips, registration and admission of $7 is required.Cindy Gasper has designed a new program for the archives which is expected to be easier to use. Work in the archives is done on Wednesdays and help is needed.Burnhauser said she needs someone to help plan society meetings for 2014.Saying "Beside every successful man is a successful woman," Burnhauser introduced a video about eight of the early first ladies.They were Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Martha Jefferson, Dolley Madison, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Adams, Rachel Jackson and Hannah Van Buren.There were similarities among the first ladies such as having children that died young.Most came from well-to-do families and many from Virginia.Dolly Madison was awarded an honorary membership in Congress that allowed her to attend meetings.Abigail Adams told husband John to "Be kind to the ladies."She is noted as a first women's libber when that project had not yet begun.Several of the women did not live to see their husbands in the presidency