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We’re exploring a town that is completely gone – lost by every meaning of the word, more so than any town we’ve looked into on this channel. The ghost town we’re visiting was Lausanne – home of a tavern, a sawmill, and not much else. Yet, despite the size of the settlement, some historians claim it played a critical role in kickstarting America’s Industrial Revolution.
We’re stopping at several interesting ruins along the way, following along a lost highway; a deserted turnpike through the woods that once held the title of the most dangerous public road in America, thanks to robbers and bandits that once lurked in these woods. The ruins along this road have been incorrectly labeled as Lausanne by most explorers on YouTube, but the ruins are well outside of the town. In this video, we’re exploring the true history of those ruins, then exploring the actual site of Lausanne.
The nearby town of Jim Thorpe is a popular tourist destination, especially during the spring and fall, with the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad taking passengers up the Lehigh River on excursions to see the changing forest colors. Jim Thorpe was named for a Native American Olympic athlete, but before him, the town was known as Mauch Chunk, meaning Bear Place, in Lenni-Lenapi. This beautiful town, winding up the canyon, is popularly advertised as the Switzerland of America.
But before Jim Thorpe had that title, it was Lausanne that was called the Switzerland of America. In fact, chances are the name Lausanne itself likely originates from the province in Switzerland of the same name.
Get a copy of Vince’s book on Lausanne here:
https://www.amazon.com/History-Carbon-County-Outpost-Lehigh/dp/B0C3ZCN6N7
You can find Vince’s other books here:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Vince-Hydro/author/B0028ESNHS
source
You’re making it sound like Jim Thorpe is from there due to being Native American….he is not he came to be in Pennsylvania for football which is what he’s know for…his tribe is from Oklahoma like I said in previous comment and it’s a town not on the reservation.my mother is from last town on that res and my dad is from elberta mi which is where I was raised and I have visited Jim Thorpe pa to see a concert.long time fan of channel fyi
Awesome video as always. What was with the empty cop car in the woods?
Heya, this was neat. May I suggest you check out Franks Slide, by Crownest Pass in Alberta.
It’s crazy to me that pieces of history like this can be so easily buried and forgotten. I know it happens and will continue to happen because unless something is culturally significant or enough people care/know about it, there’s no reason to preserve it, but it still saddens to know that nothing from it can ever be recovered.
the stones jutting out could have likely been to hold scaffolding when building
10:01 — those boots look like they might leech the forever chemicals that they were made with. Someone should safely dispose of them.
I am a weaver who has spent nearly 30 years studying and researching home textile production in America – specifically from 1725 to about 1875. I have amassed a collection of looms and spinning wheels from that period and learned to use them, along with the techniques and traditions of the time. I now use the collection of tools to teach others, but what strikes me about this video ( the first I've seen of yours ) is what compels me to rescue the 200 years old looms, wheels and 150 year old sewing machines – each one has a story of a man or woman whose hands once touched and used the very tool I now touch and use. Their story, the period during which they lived and the challenges and victories they encountered come to life and speak to me of people I will never meet, who lived during a period I will never experience, and a lifestyle I can only imagine. Singularly, it's easy to forget them but collectively, they built a nation, one family at a time. Thank you for covering Lausanne. I'm in NY. We have numerous towns that were flooded to create resevoirs. When I first discovered that, I simply couldn't believe it, but alas, it's true. And this is called " progress ".
Thank you for this. I really enjoyed your narration of the history. I work part time as an environmental educator for the Wildlands Conservation and previously designed a cell phone app for the D&L National Heritage corridor. It is great that you are spreading awareness to the town that never was and history of the region.
Most excellent video of this lost town. I enjoy watching these history shows about Pennsylvania. Keep up the good work.
Go out to Bagdad, CA — I know you like trains. All I could find (besides the Tree) is a red-concrete foundation at the old airport site. You are much smarter than I, I am sure you could find more.
EXCELLENT! very well done, thank you. i appreciate your work 😊
Americans don't care about the past? Americans only care about how much money they can make in their lifetime, and how much STUFF they can buy in their lifetime!!😮😢
Corporations control AMERICA and people keep buying their products to keep them in business! If everyone lived like the AMISH AMERICA would be a better place. 😮🎉
Look at the water ways in America? It's undeniable? Look at Tap water in America? People don't care? What ever makes money, only thing that matters! Americans don't care about future generations? We are all moving to Mars for a better way of life??😮😢
Shipping lumber and coal at the same time. Awesome. 21 century knows everything??😮
What is amazing is CITY PEOPLE IN AMERICA KNOW everything, but are dependent on outside resources, lumber, toilet paper, farms??😮😢
AMERICANS SAY THEY DON'T SUPPORT THE CORPORATIONS, BUT KEEP BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS AND IN TURN CORPORATIONS ARE HAND IN HAND WITH THE GOVERNMENT?? HELLO MACFLY STOP SUPPORTING CORPORATIONS, HELLO , MACFLY!! EVERY DAY AMERICANS CAN'T WAIT TO GO SHOPPING!! ITS NORMAL AND AMERICANS ARE BORED??😮😢
It would be a understatement to say AMERICANS are just like cows and monkeys, every day? Jump in a line, put gas in the car, clock in clock out, push buttons all day, everyday, help the bored people out, they need more ENTERTAIMENT?🎉😮😢
Come up to Tioga county we have plenty of ghost towns
What a neat video – I have very bad knees and can no longer walk long distances, so thank you for taking us with you. I loved the pictures of the crew who built the tunnel; Happy Holidays! ❤
Ahh yes the good old days
love the content im a new subscriber
I love your videos!! My family is from up in that area. Thanks Vince for the tour!! I will be looking for the book! Historical areas are forgotten now, but we can watch with you and go back in time. 😊
I live in Switzerland, what a surprise as i read the name of Lausanne, crazy. In southern Switzerland , Ticino, you see stonework like this everywere.
Would love to see an episode above Bitumen Pa
New sub❣️
What a great video! Thank you for sharing it. I am older and love historical towns and if you had not taken the time to put this together we all would be poorer for it.
Very cool and informative video I never knew a lot of that stuff is that book available for purchase that you showed earlier in the video about Lausanne?
The town that never was. I can say so many of random ruins i have found here in the northeast. MA and NH are littered with history and beautiful stories. Maybe some day you can come and visit Wilton, NH and research the many fires that plagued the town and its other unluck its had.
28:24 Yooo no wayyy, I met lilxan at rolling loud 2017 small world huh?
I love history, this is great. Vince,👍
2:40 just like Tyrone Pennsylvania was named after a part of Ireland that the founders said look the same from up on the mountain looking down
My Ukrainian grandpa was a coal miner in Buck mountain PA in 1910. Dad was born there in 1920.
I love stuff like this and also im from Pennsylvania and i know nothn about it.this is really cool to have found..im from that area well down the road in Lehigh Valley.. Allentown and Bethlehem.my family is from Lehighton ,Pa and Palmerton, Pa area nearby Mauch Chunk ,Pa..also known as Jim Thorpe .my one cousin lives across the the river from the Pa.turnpike where the Lehigh tunnel is