Jim Thorpe in Carbon County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Train Museum Project
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 9, 2018
1. Train Museum Project Marker
In 1984, Lehighton's "long and storied past as a railroad center" prompted Boyle to create an April Fool's tale that included not only a rail museum but also train excursions, a dining car restaurant, and a motel of cabooses. Destined to be a "major tourist attraction," this "mammoth Railroad Exhibition Complex" loomed "as a sure-fire economic boost" to the local community.
The Pocono Museum Unlimited fulfills the vision in miniature. "O" scale trains, running over thousands of feet of track, weave among forests of trees and hundreds of buildings, including an operating amusement park. Day turns to night. Clouds complete with thunder and rain add a touch of reality to this tiny railroad landscape.
Erected by Carbon County.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1984.
Location. 40° 51.837′ N, 75° 44.246′ W. Marker is in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, in Carbon County. It is at the intersection of Packer Hill Avenue and Hazard Square, on the right when traveling west on Packer Hill Avenue. Touch for map. Marker
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Coal Region and in the Pocono Mountains. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Molly Maguire Film (here, next to this marker); Dam Across Mauch Chunk Creek (here, next to this marker); April Fools! (here, next to this marker); A Novel Solution (here, next to this marker); Joseph L. Boyle (1915-1992) (here, next to this marker); Joe Boyle Made A Difference (here, next to this marker); Mine Museum Project (here, next to this marker); The Soldiers and Sailors Monument (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 9, 2018
2. Joe Boyle Plaza
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 146 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 17, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
