Community Info

Carbon County (2000 population 58,802) was created on March 13, 1843, from parts of Northampton and Monroe Counties. Its name alludes to its deposits of anthracite coal. Jim Thorpe, the county seat, was originally incorporated on January 26, 1850 as the borough of Mauch Chunk, an Indian name meaning “bear mountain.” It was renamed in 1954 for the famous Indian athlete who is buried there.

Carbon County was the home of the first railroad in America that was built on any large scale. The “Switchback” railroad, as it came to be known in its glory days, was originally designed to carry coal. The Switchback led a long and active life, first as a coal carrier and then as solely a tourist attraction. In the 1930’s, the railroad carried its last passengers.