Built in 1861, this Victorian Italianate architecture-style home was constructed over a span of two years at a total cost of $14,000 dollars. The Asa Packer Mansion listed as a National Historic Landmark was the home of philanthropist, railroad magnate, and founder of Lehigh University, Asa Packer, from Oct. 16, 1861, to Oct. 29, 1912. Located in Jim Thorpe, this building is recognized by a red-ribbed tin roof and a central cupola proudly atop Packer Hill with the commanding stunning views of the surrounding Pocono Mountains, where my partner, his aunt and I came for a tour today. Tickets were easily available and reasonably priced for the 1pm tour, which covered the entirety of the first and second floors. Our tour guide was a young lady (she mentioned she is a senior in high school) who obviously loves her job and is personally interested in the history of the mansion and family. From the furniture, woodwork, and stained glass to the artwork, she spoke about the history or significance. The mansion is not a restoration where pictures and video are prohibited inside. An amazing walk back in time, for which we can recommend this place. read more

See all

This was absolutely the highlight of our day in Jim Thorpe! Such a stunning home with amazing history and it's incredibly well preserved. Our tour guide was very passionate about the subject and brought the story of the home to life. We learned so much about Asa Packer and his family as well as his contributions to the town itself. I highly recommend visiting the mansion. It's very affordable and you won't regret it. The setting is very scenic as it's set atop a gorgeous hill overlooking the region. Bonus points if you have the opportunity to visit during the fall season. You'll be surrounded by the most beautiful foliage. But very important to note, accessing the museum means walking up the hill and some stairs. It's a short walk but could be taxing for some. Very much worth your efforts though! read more

You can't miss Victorian homes around Jim Thorpe. Two well-known landmarks were the Asa Packer Mansion and Harry Packer Mansion. Asa Packer mansion was completed in 1861 and was the home of Asa Packer, the founder of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He moved away at the age of 17 to work from CT, where he ended up in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. Harry Packer, the son of Asa was gifted the home as a wedding gift. The Harry Packer Mansion was built by Asa for his son in 1874. The home was designed in an Italianate style and is now home to a bed and breakfast. The exterior of the home, which you won't want to miss when visiting the Asa Packer Mansion, was used as the inspiration for the Haunted Mansion at Disney World. Now these days, The Asa Packer Mansion is open for tours and Harry Packer Mansion is a bed and breakfast but offers weekend tours (Murder Mystery events). Overall, if you love historic homes. architecture, or just seeing unique sites, a visit to the Asa Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe, PA is a must. Note: photos are not allowed inside the home. read more

See all

Tour guide was great. The house is amazing. Sand and gravel glued to walls. Pocket window shutters. Amazing wood working. So much history. One of the first styles of A/C. Definitely worth the walk through. Go when they open to book a reservation if going on the weekend. read more

5/15/21 This was my third tour of the Asa Packer mansion. Our knowledgeable guide Elizabeth was enthusiastic and very detailed in our tour. It was nice to finally see this beautiful mansion open again fir tours. Regardless of the ever flip flopping declarations of the "CDC" as of yesterday masking is required on the tour. I learned so much about the Packer family, and about the times and their children. Asa Packer was the founder of Lehigh University. I loved touring this mansion and seeing the authentic stained glass, decor, furniture from Philadelphia and the paintings in the home. This tour really gives you a flavor of what life was like back then. It's most certainly worth the 6$ but be prepared! Cash only. No photos are allowed inside. read more

See all

Such a unique place! It offers a lot of history to the town and the tour was good. It's amazing how the majority of the original pieces are in such good condition. No wonder they do not allow pictures! Definitely worth a visit. At the time I went, tickets were cash only- Not sure if it's normally like that read more

Asa Packer Mansion - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

What a fabulous experience we had at the mansion yesterday. Our tour guide Brianna , was very passionate and knowledgeable about the history and interior decor. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our tour. We would highly recommend this as a great stop in Jim Thorpe. read more

While it's a very cool tour. It could use considerable improvement for the convenience of its paying visitors. First of all we live in a modern age of smartphones and not allowing any FORM of photography is unacceptable when you'd want to remember and recall these types of experiences and flash photography hasn't been much of a thing for nearly two decades. Also making your guests uncomfortable because they can't touch anything is also an issue. Hope they can work on making this a better and more modern experience for the future. read more

Last week while visiting Jim Thorpe I had the pleasure of touring this lovely mansion. I love the history and architecture of old homes and this one didn't disappoint. It's mostly original and all the belongings and furnishings are intact from the last occupant, Sara Packer Cummings since her death in 1912. It's like stepping back in time. Going in I knew nothing about Asa Packer and why this family was so important to community. Walking out I had the knowledge of his humble beginnings and his legacy and how his presence changed transportation for this area. The $10 fee was a small fee to pay for the knowledge I obtained. The tour is an hour long and not only provides insight on how they lived back then, but also about the family, history, and tidbits of information about certain furniture pieces and the stories behind them. I especially liked the personal stories. It made the characters come to life. The house itself has beautiful bones, artfully hand carved wood details and an abundance of gaudy wallpaper and furnishings but still I love that stuff. Be sure not to miss the wallpaper in the front entry - the design is made of painted gravel and has withstood the test of time. In fact, aside from a few carpet pieces the house is as it was in 1912. Frozen in time. At the time of my tour it was the anniversary of Mrs Packers death and staying true to Victorian tradition her pictures and bed was draped in black. It's obvious that the caretakers of this home are very proud of it and go to great lengths to keep it preserved and the family's memory alive. Some things to know: accessing the house requires walking up a steep hill and many steps. It's not stroller or handicap friendly. Inside, strollers are forbidden and young children are discouraged from taking the tour but not turned away. I paid $3 for my 4 year old granddaughter who had model behavior throughout the tour despite being bored to death. There isn't a public restroom anywhere on the property - you'll have to go down the hill to the information center/train station. For obviously reasons no food, drink, touching of items, or walking away from the tour is allowed. If you must leave the tour needs to be interrupted so a guide can personally escort you out. With that said they encourage you not to take the tour if you can't stand or have any other issue preventing you from being able to withstand it in it's entirety. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly - tips are encouraged. No pictures, video, etc is allowed. However you can take pictures outside. The larger the tour the less you'll get out of it as there's only so much room to stand that's not roped off where the guide speaks. SIDENOTE: I had no T-Mobile service while on the hill, thus wasn't able to check in. However I did have decent service in the town of Jim Thorpe itself. read more

See all

The Asa Packer Mansion was much more extensive and beautiful than I was expecting. I have visited a lot of old houses, castles, and mansions. This one stood up to all of them. I wasn't expecting that Jim Thorpe, PA, which is relatively nearby would have such a nice Victorian mansion. First of all, everything is intact. They still have all the furnishings exactly how it was 150 years ago. The tour is in depth, too. The tour guides have all worked there for years, and they really know their stuff. On the tour he even played their nickelodeon for us. Had I known how historic this mansion was going to be, I would have visited it years ago already. read more

See all

Well worth $10. Super informative tour lasts about 1 hour and covers the history of the titular owner plus backstory on the furniture,antiques and other family history. Gorgeous house!! Really cool furnishings that are ALL original. This is their house how it was. I put seeing this ahead of the train, jail or Mauchunk museum. There's not a ton to do in JT, but this should be first. No photos allowed, but Theres a ton online, or a set of postcards for $1. read more

Asa Packer Mansion - The sons house next door, now a b&b. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

It is an amazing place to visit. I did the tour on Nov. 21, 2021. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the family and the mansion. The tour took maybe 45 minutes and was very interesting and informative. It contains some absolutely stunning woodwork and furniture. I would highly recommend a tour of this historic mansion. read more

See all

I was very excited to see the Asa Packer Mansion but a bit reluctant after finding out that the tour would be an hour long. My boyfriend and I still purchased tickets and I am so glad we did. The tour starts on the bottom floor and then works its way up to the top floor. Every part of the tour was so interesting and I can't say I was bored for even a second. Our tour guide, Elizabeth, was amazing and so knowledgeable. It was obvious that she took great pride in educating people about and preserving the history of the mansion. I would seriously recommend anyone over the age of 15 to take this tour. Young children may be bored since the tour is an hour long. I have to say, this was my favorite part about my vacation in Jim Thorpe! read more

Warning: CASH ONLY- which cost a star. Great tour and lots of history packed into a 45 minute tour. Although a flash back into 1800's we would have been in tough shape but teenage son oroduced cash for family admission. Management: please implement payment options. Some surprise learnings along the tour -wont spoil the fun. Highly recommended , but make surenyou hIt ATM before you climb the stairs up the hill to the mansion. read more

Great Home wonderfully preserved. Learned a lot about the Packers and their influence on the town. Highly recommend a visit! read more

Asa Packer Mansion - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

I had the chance to visit here a couple of times when I was young, back in 1995/1996. It felt magical to go through such a cool mansion!

There is a lot of active, outdoor things to do in Jim Thorpe but when the weather is bad or are tired of physical exertion your only other options might be the old jail or shopping. The old jail tour is very good, but if you've already done that, this tour is another option. It is not wheelchair accessible but if you can walk up stairs you can do this tour. The tour is run by the lions which might result in a hit or miss on the tour guide because they are just volunteers and don't know the answer to every question, also you can't take pictures inside. The house itself provides a beautiful view of the mountains and the town, it's pretty easy to find and get to although requires walking up a lot of steps. The tour goes through the house and you will be able to see almost every room, some rooms you cannot enter, only look. The level of detail of the decorations in the major rooms is splendid to behold, that is really the most notable thing about this house is all the little details that you don't even notice until the tour guide points them out to you. I think the tour guide could have been a little more clear on the life of Asa Packer and his family because she jumped around a lot in the story and it was a little confusing to get everything straight. But aside from that it was a very enjoyable tour. read more

We enjoyed this tour very much on our visit too the area. It's well maintained and the tour was very informative and pleasant.

Call ahead. Climbed all the way up there with the kids to find out they couldn't let me in for an hour because of a private tour. A tour needs the whole mansion to itself? read more

Make sure you know going in that they take cash only, and tours are $10 a person. Same goes for the postcards. Be prepared to do a lot of steps, including getting up a steep hill if you can't park right across from it, which we could not due to a wedding using the lot. At the time we went, the wine bar at the Harry Packer Mansion next door was open, so we ran right over to relax and see even more mansion, just perfect. The bar is not open to the public too many hours, so just check before you go. We were lucky to sit on the porch and gaze out over the town to the sound of the steam trains running. You will end up researching Asa Packer and yearning for more of his story. The tour here is a bit whitewashed, which is understandable. Our tour group was large, so I did not get to ask all the questions I wanted to, and I had many. There are some controversies about Asa, and his accomplishments are many, from a fascinating time and town. read more

Lovely mansion! The tour here is a little bit more money, and guided which I'm not a fan of but lots of information! Such a beautiful mansion, with a breathtaking view of Jim Thorpe. A must see! It's well worth the climb to the top of town to see these two mansions, and get to see how some of the wealthiest families lived. So much history! read more

Asa Packer Mansion - Lovely mansion looking over Jim Thorpe - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

See all

Great tour. Just about everything is authentic in the house. The tour guide Tom was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The house is not as opulent as some of the other railroad baron's homes but it had some very interesting decorative elements. The scale is more intimate and less museum like. The chandelier in the living room was reproduced by MGM to use in Gone with the Wind. I also paid $5 to take the tour of the Harry Packer house next door. The Haunted Mansion at Disney was inspired by the Harry Packer house. read more

What a cool place! 96% of the mansion is original. The furnishings and decor are absolutely gorgeous. I learned a lot about decorating in the early to mid nineteenth century. I especially liked the gravel-embossed wallpaper! The chandeliers and stained glass windows were unbelievable. This is just such a gorgeous, classy house. I recommend this tour to anyone! read more

Recently visited the Asa Packer Mansion with a group of ladies, three cars full. We had a wonderful guide and it was a pleasent experience until we returned to our cars parked in the only location close to the Mansion. There was a sign that read employee parking but mind you the lot held at least twenty cars and to my knowledge there were two employees present. My car with Florida plates had a $20 parking ticket, the other cars with PA plates did not. I paid my fine and sent a note to the the executive director with no response. Disappointing. So visitor beware, the village must be more interested in parking violation fees than tourist revenue. read more

Very interesting history. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and you could tell she enjoyed being a guide. I would definitely recommend this tour....well worth the minimal fee. read more

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the Asa Packer Mansion. The inside of the mansion was very well maintained and had all of the original furniture, fixtures and other objects from the 1860's and forward. The tour guide provided very interesting information about the house and the Packer family. It felt like we stepped back in time for the 45 minute tour. The one down side was that there were no bathroom facilities available in or near the mansion. It was well worth the $10 if you like seeing how the wealthy lived in the late 1800's and early 1900's read more

What a gorgeous home! I was fearful that we'd be standing there for 15 to 20 minutes as the tour guide would talk about how the door knob was imported from Germany, or list the birth dates of each child, and then their children, yada yada yada. But it wasn't like that. It was interesting. The hand-carved woodwork along the doors is amazing, as is the embossed walls and rich feel. Neat seeing the bedrooms, and contrasting the family's bedrooms to that of the cook's bedroom. Wished we paid attention to detail like this today. The stairs really weren't so bad. Thing is, people, PLEASE be careful if it's raining. The stairs leading to this mansion are safe (concrete), but once you hit the town, there's a brick flooring and my shoe slipped in the slick brick and I almost literally broke my back or hip or neck. Be careful! I paid $8 to get it. It's $7 if you're over 55 years old. read more

I really enjoyed this tour and all the history. The tour guide really knew everything there was to know about the family.

EXTRAORDINARY! It's a time capsule. It was donated in 1912 when the last surviving child died and stayed closed up until the 50's. Then, they opened it up for tours. It's jaw dropping. Don't miss it! read more

Very informative. Tour guide knew a lot and answered all questions thoroughly. Mansion itself is beautiful and worth the walk through.

The mansion was absolutely beautiful and in pristine condition. It feels like you stepped back in time in this treasure. However, our tour guide, Denise, was not very knowledgeable on the history/storyline of the house and therefore was not open to questions from the group. The tour seemed pretty rushed and I think the group would have loved more time to take in the house in all of its beauty. Overall, I think with a different tour guide, this tour would have been magnificent. Also, $10 was a very small price to pay considering the immense upkeep that the house entails. read more