Although he was never in the town, he does have a connection to the area starting his athletic career at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School about 100 miles away. Each year, the town has a two-day event to honor the athlete who excelled in track and field, football and baseball. She and town officials struck a deal and the athlete's remains were moved to the town renamed Jim Thorpe. His home state of Oklahoma had refused to erect a memorial in his honor. In 1954, Jim Thorpe's third wife, Patricia, was looking for a town to pay homage to her late husband with a fitting memorial to commemorate his Olympic, professional and amateur sports achievements. Amazingly, residents contributed $30,000 in nickels within a few years. In the 1950s – in an effort to kick start its dragging economy – the town started a “Nickel a Week” campaign to raise money for the collective good, according to a history of the town. (Mauch Chunk means Bear Place in the native Munsee-Lenape Native American language.) The town changed its name in 1954 from Mauch Chunk to Jim Thorpe, a story that has to rank as one of the most unusual in American history. It's become a favorite location in the Poconos for those who love the out-of-doors and recreation. Today, the county seat of Carbon County is known as the Switzerland of America for its picturesque scenery and varied architectural styles. Once a bustling coal and railroad town, it fell on hard times that were so desperate residents resorted to raising nickels to search for an economic development boost. The town – founded in 1818 – nestled in the shadow of Bear Mountain beside the Lehigh River has had to redefine itself several times. Jim Thorpe, Pa., has a unique history that includes a name change.
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