Jim Thorpe Part Three: Curiosities Coffee & Ice House

RSS

Jim Thorpe Part Three: Curiosities Coffee & Ice House

10 Apr

It wasn’t just that there were two coffeehouses side by side. There were two magic-loving coffeehouses side by side.

After leaving the last coffee spot, I now had three beverages in my hands. One was my coffee from King Coal. Another, my hot chocolate from the same place. The third was, of course, the coffee I’d just bought at the wizardly place. That’s too many coffees and too few hands. I quickly chugged the cocoa, took two last, lingering sips of the coffee, and chucked the three cups into the nearest public trash can (of which there are many). Seriously, this town has Disney-level tourist infrastructure, down to a row of blue port-a-potties abutting one nearby alleyway. With only my backpack weighing me down, I began the long trek…next door.

As I said, two coffeehouses share the same half-block of space. I walked down a liminal alleyway between the two, and the preternatural appearance was prophetic: Curiosities Coffee and Ice House also has a magical ambience. Alright, they’re very distinct magical ambiences. The last was more of a wizardly den, while this one was more of a…Well, I don’t want to tempt copyright laws by saying it. Imagine rabbits. White ones. Think about tumbling down a ‘hole’ of sorts into a ‘wonderous land,’ if you will. It just gave that vibe.

It was also busy. I was second in line after a large group that just happened to order each dessert item (there is a large array of these) and every triple-dipper-mocha-choke-a-latte on the menu. A line rapidly formed behind me, but the staff handled it with aplomb. They’re probably used to it by now. It wasn’t even close to dinner at that time. It was barely three in the afternoon. I can see now how two coffeehouses can coexist in the same space: There’s indeed enough business for everyone.

The coffee was, appropriately enough, from Mauch Chunk Coffee Co. The roaster has been in operation since 2013. It’s nestled in the Pocono Mountains’ foothills and seems to be something of a local institution. I got the Honduran roast. Again, clearly small-batch-style craft coffee was in evidence here. It displayed the characteristic Honduran richness with subtle cocoa hints. They were very subtle in this case, with the coffee presenting itself as a lighter breakfast blend. I feel like I’m on repeat saying that. A lot of the coffee here in Jim Thorpe leaned light. Tourists on the go don’t need (or seem to want) the veritable meal that darker evening roasts can be.

With that last coffee in hand, I made my way up famous Broadway. The name is apt. There’s a gorgeous opera house (The equally well-known Mauch Chunk Opera House) on the way up the hill. I didn’t have time to catch a show, but there is a massive lineup of music planned for the spring and summer, including a bevy of tribute bands.

I kept walking for what seemed like forever, and finally, my last goal came into view: The Old Jail Museum. Finished in 1870, the jail was Carbon County’s prison until 1995. The Old Jail is most famous for its connection to the Molly Maguires, a band of Irish advocates for miners’ rights up here in coal country. Conditions were truly horrifying in those mines. Even so, debate rages as to whether the Molly Maguires were desperate, maligned freedom fighters or violent agrarian guerrillas. The truth is often somewhere in between and buried under the stones of history. “Self-help organizations” blurred into gangs, and the “businessmen” they confronted could be little more than parasitic robber barons. History is messy because the human mind and heart are.

Speaking of history’s stones, one stone in particular stands out here. Four men were hanged at the Old Jail on June 21st, 1877, known as the “Day of the Rope.” Before being executed, one of the men put his hand on the floor of Cell #17, stating: “This handprint will remain as proof of my innocence.” The handprint remains to this day, despite constant attempts to remove it. The Jail has become a pilgrimage site for paranormal investigators. No, I didn’t take a picture of it. I didn’t want to do that just for clicks, likes, and reportage. Reverence matters.

With that in my mind, I walked back down the hill, stopping at an art gallery (pictures weren’t allowed), then got back to my parents, who were having a grand time at the station. I wanted to savor the last few minutes in Jim Thorpe after waiting all winter to come here. That said, I also wanted to get home before the mad rush hour traffic on I-81 made dinner an iffy proposition. Getting out of town was fairly easy, but don’t try to cross two lanes of traffic to get going in the right direction. Go the wrong direction, then double back. Even the wrong direction is scenic here.

With that, our exploration of Northeast Pennsylvania is at an end (for now). So, what’s next? Is the blog ending? Oh, heck no. As Marine Corps General Oliver P. Smith once said, “We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.” The Journey is heading to a Pennsylvania county that few people have heard of, much less visited. I’m also going to start doing some new things here. All kinds of things.

Until then, stay caffeinated!