Harry Packer Mansion, Jim Thorpe, PA

Here is a little peek inside the

Harry Packer Mansion 

now operating as a Bed and Breakfast

in Jim Thorpe, PA

Does it look a little familiar?

It was the inspiration for Walt Disney World's

Haunted Mansion.
( Personally, I don't see it.
But it has most similarity to Paris' Phantom Manor) 

Maybe that is why they host 

Murder Mystery Weekends!

In 1874 this mansion was built as a wedding gift for Harry Packer by his father Asa. 

It is right next door to Asa's mansion.

I guess he wanted to keep an eye on the newlyweds.

Here is the view from Harry's window of
Asa's mansion.

Asa Packer made his fortune as the founder of 
Lehigh Valley Railroad and Lehigh University.

So, come on in and sit a spell,

cause you actually can!

Just purchase a glass of wine in the room across the way

and enjoy it while soaking up the surroundings.

Or you could sit here with that wine.

Thanks to Robert and Patricia Handwerk.

who purchased the property in disrepair in the 1980's

and restored it to it's glory.

How sad it would have been to have lost this beauty.

The Harry Packer Mansion

19 Packer Ave.

Jim Thorpe, Pa 18229

(570) 325-8566

mystery@murdermansion.com

All the photos from this gallery can be found here.

The Men in Blue

Civil War Re-enactments by the PA 69th Irish Volunteer Infantry

at the Winterfest in Jim Thorpe, PA

I also posted about the Winterfest in Jim Thorpe here.

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All the photos from this gallery can be viewed here.

Winterfest, Jim Thorpe, PA

Jim Thorpe has absolutely nothing to do
with the town in Pennsylvania bearing his name.

The officials of Mauch Chunk,
or 'Bear Mountain' in the language of the Lenape people,
purchased the name from Jim Thorpe's wife after his death

in an effort to up tourism in the town.

This Victorian era small town is certainly picturesque.

Surrounded by small mountains

and beautiful structures,

it makes a nice day trip from Philly.

The Winterfest activity is primarily focused on the Mug Walk.

An ingenious marketing idea that gets you into

every participating store in town.

You purchase your mug at the Visitor Center by the old railroad station.

By visiting the participating stores, 

you receive a little something for your mug:

Soup, chili, hot chocolate, crackers, cookies, popcorn, candy, etc.

not actually served in the mug though.

It is a great way to get reluctant husbands into the quaint shops

they would otherwise never wish to frequent.

In addition to the Mug walk

there was an industrious chain saw wood carver at work.

 

And a not as industrious ice carver.

Street musicians whose sounds echoed  up the street.

And a few other things taking place throughout the town.

I will be posting about the Civil War rein-actors
and a tour of Harry Packer's mansion
in the next couple of days.

For now, I'll enjoy some hot chocolate in my
new Jim Thorpe mug.  :)

Other things I've posted on from Jim Thorpe:

Hiking Glen Onoko Run

Biking Lehigh Gorge

All photos from this event can be viewed here.

To visit the town, there is plenty of parking at the railroad station

for a reasonable fee.

2 Lehigh Ave, Jim Thorpe, PA

A Springish Day

We really needed this nice day!

I drove  with the sunroof open all day - 

It helped release some of the cabin fever 

from feeling snowed in for a couple months.

And these two cuties were releasing their cabin fever in a different way.

The wind has kicked up

and the temps dropped again,

but it is not as cold as it WAS!

Things I Do, Places I Go...

(Click here to skip to Photo Galleries of events in PA)
(Click here to skip to Photo Galleries of places in PA)

Annual Events In and Around PA

Here is what's on my radar.

Maybe I'll see you there!

Please check and confirm all dates.
This is a resource for myself that I am sharing with you.

I cannot be responsible for errors, changes, cancellations and all of that.

January:
Fire and Ice Festival, Mt. Holly, NJ * +My Blog Post  This is better than the New Hope Lambertville Winterfest IMO.  They are usually the same weekend.
New Hope Lambertville Winterfest, Bucks County +My Blog Post posting 1/31/12
Pennsylvania Farm Show, Harrisburg, PA

February:
Medieval Festival at Glencairn Museum, Montgomery Co., PA * +My Blog Post
Winter Fest, Jim Thorpe, Carbon Co., PA +My Blog Post
Maple Sugaring, Wissahickon Valley Watershed, Montgomery Co., PA
Washington's Birthday Weekend, Valley Forge National Park, Montgomery Co., PA
Lititz Fire and Ice Festival, Lancaster Co., PA
Perkasie Kiwanis Sled Dog Event,   +My Blog Post

March:
Maple Sugar Day, Peace Valley Park, Chalfont , Bucks Co., PA

Winter Muster, Peter Wentz Farmstead, Montgomery Co., PA
Mud Sales, Lancaster County +My Blog Post
Audubon Maple Sugar Festival
Daniel Boone Homestead Open House, Berks Co., PA
Pennsylvania Maple Festival
Graeme Park Charter Day, Horsham, Montgomery Co., PA Free Tours
School of the Soldier, Graeme Park, Montgomery County +My Blog Posts 1


March-April:
Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia  My blog post. My photos here.
Pennsylvania Maple Festival, Meyersdale
Tamagawa Taiko and Dance, Check local colleges for free concert dates.

April:
Sheep Shearing,  Peter Wentz Farmstead, Montgomery Co., PA
2011 April 16th Civil War 150th Parade - Philadelphia
Neshaminy Park Civil War Re Enactment, Bucks Co., PA**  + Read my blog post. My photos here. 
New Hope Fantasy Renaissance Fair, Bucks Co., PA


May:
Civil War Encampment, Mercer/Fonthill Museums, Doylestown, Bucks Co., PA (May29-30)
Mercer Museum Folk Fest Canceled for 2011
SPIRIT OF THE JERSEYS - a historical festival Saturday, May 7 at the Historic Village at Allaire,
Allaire State Park in Farmingdale. This free event,11:00 -5:00, rain or shine,
South Street Italian Market Festival, Philadelphia May 14-15, 10-5 ** Blog Post, Photos,
Ambler Auto Show, Montgomery Co., PA Blog Post

May-June:
2011 - Willow Grove Tricentennial Events


June:
Landmarks in Lights, Bryn Athyn, Montgomery Co., PA
World War II Weekend, Reading, Berks County  ** + Read my insider tips near the end of this post before going.
Chester County Balloon Festival
NJ Renaissance Faire

June-July:
Welcome America Philadelphia  11 days of celebrating Independence Day.

July:
Tinicum Arts Festival, Tinicum, Bucks Co., PA

Blueberry Festival, Bethlehem, PA
Celtic Heritage Festival, Graeme Park, Montgomery Co., PA
New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
Kutztown Folk Festival
Annual Ultimate Philadelphia Ice Cream Festival , Center Court, Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia, PA
Blobfest, Phoenixville, Montgomery Co., PA http://theblobsite.filmbuffonline.com/
August
New Jersey Festival of Lights Burlington, NJ
Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA
Goshenhoppen Folk Festival, Frederick, PA
Annual Bluegrass Festival, Gettysburg
Corvettes at Carlisle
Philly 19c Baseball Exhibition and Fair (The Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia)

August-September
Greene Dreher Sterling Fair, Newfoundland, PA
Bethlehem Octoberfest, Bethlehem PA

August - October
PA Rennaissance Faire, Cornwall, PA

September:
Celtic Fest, Bethlehem, PA
Mushroom Festival, Kennett Square, Chester Co., PA
Middletown Grange Renaissance Faire, Wrightstown, Bucks Co.,PA

October:
Fall Foliage Festival, Jim Thorpe, Carbon Co., PA
Battle of Germantown
Historic Fallsington Day, Fallsington, Bucks Co., PA* +Blog Posts  Photo Gallery

Leaf Peeping Hot Spots:
     High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park  * +
     Lehigh Gorge, Glen Onoko Run, Jim Thorpe, Carbon Co., PA * +

November - December
Christkindl Market, Bethlehem

November:
Whitemarsh Encampment, Hope Lodge, Ft. Washington, Montgomery Co., PA
Brandywine Reenactment
Punkin Chunkin, Delaware

December:
Winter Wonderland at Fonthill Museum 12/1-1/2, Doylestown, Bucks Co., PA

*Denotes I have been there and give it two thumbs up.

This will be a smaller scale event, but well done.

** Denotes I have been there and give it two thumbs up.  

This will be a large scale event with a lot to offer.

+ I have written a blog post on the event.
Click the link to view it.

Anytime Things To Do:

Waynesborough
Home of Revolutionary War’s General “Mad” Anthony Wayne

2049 Waynesborough Rd.
Paoli, PA 19301 

Peter Wentz Farmstead

An authentic, working 18th-century Pennsylvania German farm

Shearer Road and Route 73 Worcester, PA 19490

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Where the spirit of the Revolution received its sternest test

1400 N. Outer Line Drive King of Prussia, PA 19406

Pennypacker Mills

Get a glimpse of Pennsylvania’s past

5 Haldeman Road
Schwenksville, PA 19473

Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center

The nation’s first municipal water treatment center

Waterworks Drive and Kelly Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Arch Street Friends Meeting House

1804 Quaker meeting house is the largest of its kind in the world

320 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

The oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African-Americans

419 S. Sixth Street Philadelphia, PA 19147

Christ Church Burial Ground

Visit the graves of Benjamin Franklin and other early American leaders

5th and Arch Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Elfreth’s Alley 

The nation’s oldest continuously inhabited street

126 Elfreth’s Alley Philadelphia, PA 19106

Battleship New Jersey

Admiral “Bull” Halsey’s flagship and the nation’s most decorated battleship

62 Battleship Place Camden, NJ 08103
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum
Pennsylvania’s largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh

8601 Lindbergh Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19153 

Washington Crossing Historic Park

Where Washington made his famous trip across the Delaware

1112 River Road
Washington Crossing, PA 18977 

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

An early American “Iron Plantation” — a forerunner of today’s iron and steel industries

2 Mark Bird Lane
Elverson, PA 19520 

Ridley Creek State Park

More than 2,600 acres of gently rolling woodlands and meadows

1032 Sycamore Mills Road Media, PA 19063

Nockamixon State Park

The largest lake in Southeastern Pennsylvania, accompanied by a 5,283-acre park

1542 Mountain View Drive
Quakertown, PA 18951 

Morris Arboretum

A romantic Victorian landscape garden

100 Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118 

John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove

The place that inspired America’s first great naturalist

1201 Pawlings Road
Audubon, PA 19403 

Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College

A garden of ideas to inspire home gardeners
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore, PA 19081
Ephrata Cloister
Early German religious community
632 W. Main Street
Ephrata, PA

Graeme Park

Only surviving residence of a PA colonial governor
859 County Line Road
Horsham, PA

Historic Fallsington Village

300 year old Quaker village
4 Yardley Ave.
Fallsington, PA
Ringing Rocks Park
Large rock boulders, waterfall
75 Woodland Drive
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Bucks County
1858 Franklinville School 
Located on Morris Road, 3/10 mile West of Rte 202, Whitpain, PA
This is the only restored one-room school house in the area open to the public.

Check open house schedules.

And in NJ...
Thomas Edison National Historical Park211 Main Street
West Orange, NJ 07052

Racing Eyes

I love the look of these blue eyed dogs.

I went to a sled dog event on Saturday

and there were so many blue eyes.

A beauty in white.

Look at the hair on this one,
it reminded me of a lion!

This gal, whose name escapes me,
was the calmest dog ever!
She was enjoying a belly rub
while her hyper cousins were in the races.

 

She was a visitor, not a racer.
I guess that explains the relaxed temperament.

I did another post on this event here.
All my photos from this gallery can be viewed here.


Annual Kiwanis Club

Dog Sled Challenge and Mushing Education

Lake Lenape Park, Sellersville, PA

Free admission

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MUSH!

When I think of sled dogs I think of Alaska, not Pennsylvania.

But guess what?  I found some in Perkasie, Pennsylvania!

Ready...Set....Go!

There was a variety of different races at the event.

And once one dog was taken to get harnessed up,

the others all started getting hyped,

almost like they were saying, "Pick me, pick me!"

After the races $5 would buy you a little ride.

Mush! (Actually, I didn't hear anyone say "Mush.")

Don't you just love this hat?

It was the first time this event was held. 

It would be fun if they have it again next year.

I will be posting some photos of just the dogs on Tuesday.

Annual Kiwanis Club

Dog Sled Challenge and Mushing Education

Lake Lenape Park, Sellersville, PA

Free admission

The GPS Squirrel

I watched this squirrel start digging in the snow.

He was determined and I wondered what he was doing.

Now how did he know exactly where that nut was buried.

I think it was the squirrels that invented GPS.

Stained Glass at Glencairn Museum

I posted about a Medieval Festival held at this museum here.
It is hard to imagine that at one time this place was a residence!

The colors are so rich.

I was particularly struck by the richness 

and quantity of the blues!

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Medieval Festival at Glencairn Museum

I visited Glencairn Museum today.
They were hosting a Medieval Festival.

The museum is affiliated with the The Academy of the New Church
and Bryn Athyn Catherdral in Bryn Athyn, PA.

At one time the museum was a home for Raymond and Mildren Pitcairn.

It was built between 1928-1939.

This would have been quite the home!

It definitely has a Medieval feel to it.
The museum has artifacts from throughout the ages.
and holds interest on its own.










But today, there was an added bonus.

Medieval music demonstrations.







Illuminated Text demonstrations.







A replica of the Gutenberg Press.







Stained glass making demonstrations.



Reinactors to take you on a Pilgrimage





And enthusiastic Medieval visitors in costume.



Those offering demonstrations were very knowledgeable and experts in their craft.
The tour was by students of the Bryn Athyn College and was a little scripted,
but creative effort was obvious.

I had no idea this museum had so much to offer.
At $5 for admission, this was a bargain.

1001 Cathedral Road
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
(267) 502-2600

Photos from this post can be found here.