East Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania

East Mauch Chunk is a former independent borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located along the east bank of the Lehigh River on the opposite bank from the town business district, it was part of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Originally in the former Township of Mauch Chunk, the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, incorporated land on both sides of the

Governor William Bigler incorporating that portion of the Borough of Mauch Chunk to the northeast of the center line of the Lehigh River into a separate borough by the name of The Borough of East Mauch Chunk.^[2]

On February 16, 1954, the Boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk entered into an agreement to hold a referendum on May 18, 1954, to determine if the boroughs should be consolidated as The Borough of Jim Thorpe. The referendum was approved by wide margins, with voters in the Borough of Mauch Chunk voting 1026 in favor to 90 against, and the Borough of East Mauch Chunk voting 1179 in favor to 109 against.^[3] As of January 3, 1955, the two boroughs were then united as one.

Geography

The neighborhood is located along the eastern left bank of the

railyards

on both banks and was the historic divide between the Mauch Chunk sides. Today's town, Jim Thorpe consisting of both halves is joined by a bridge, which was not so in the earliest days.

East Mauch Chunk had a bridge crossing the

Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad giving access to the resort Inn above the picturesque Glen Onoko Falls. The land of East Mauch Chunk above the cut bank

of the river floodplain slopes gradually up and away to the northeast from the river, and homeowners have a beautiful view supporting the region's nickname.

East Mauch Chunk was occupied first by European pioneering employees of the

Lausanne Landing, then in 1818 became suburb of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company's fast growing activities, then found active growth as a railroad company town servicing the left bank rail yards of the Beaver Creek Railroad and Mining Company, then the successor Lehigh Valley Railroad

founded in the 1870s.

Today the village is primarily a

Pisgah Ridge and Nesquehoning Mountain and the flanking ridgelines of Mahoning Mountain to the south and Broad Mountain

to the north are all seen nearly end on from East Mauch Chunk, making for a scenic vista in nearly any direction.

References

^ "Proceedings Incorporating The Borough of Mauch Chunk." Miscellaneous Book 1, Page 164, recorded January 31, 1850. Recorder of Deeds of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.
^ Act of January 21, 1854 (P.L. 4, No. 5), §§ 1-11
^ "Consolidation Agreement between Council of the Borough of East Mauch Chunk and Council of the Borough of Mauch Chunk and Adoption of the Name 'Jim Thorpe.'" Charter Book 2, Page 609, recorded June 16, 1954. Recorder of Deeds of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

40°52′25″N 75°44′00″W / 40.87361°N 75.73333°W / 40.87361; -75.73333

[1] "Proceedings Incorporating The Borough of Mauch Chunk." Miscellaneous Book 1, Page 164, recorded January 31, 1850. Recorder of Deeds of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

[2] Act of January 21, 1854 (P.L. 4, No. 5), §§ 1-11

[3] "Consolidation Agreement between Council of the Borough of East Mauch Chunk and Council of the Borough of Mauch Chunk and Adoption of the Name 'Jim Thorpe.'" Charter Book 2, Page 609, recorded June 16, 1954. Recorder of Deeds of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

[2]

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