Summit Hill
The story of coal literally began here when, in 1791, Philip Ginder discovered a black rock that turned out to be stone coal, or anthracite. A memorial to Ginder is located here in Ludlow Park to honor the man who received a small tract of land as compensation for his discovery.
In 1859 a burning, underground mine was discovered at the west end of Summit Hill. Despite the community’s best efforts to extinguish the blaze, it smoldered until 1941. The mine eventually became a tourist attraction as visitors would get off the Switchback Railroad to view surface cracks that emitted steam, smoke, and occasionally flames. Patches of grass stayed green in winter due to the warmth from below.
Things to see and do in Summit Hill
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Carbon County Environmental Education Center
The center promotes awareness and understanding of our environment through education. By providing a variety of environmentally related services, and in stressing human environmental impacts, CCEEC encourages responsibility for, and appreciation of all natural resources.
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The park was named after Edwin Ludlow, vice president of mining operations during the 1910's and includes many war memorials, the Ginter Monument, Civil War Cannons, and the Park Gazebo
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Noble’s Blacksmith Shop and Mining Museum
Noble Henninger was one of the last blacksmiths in Panther Valley. The shop was built in 1927 and reflects the tools and machines in use at that time.
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The story of Philip Ginter (often spelled Ginder) and his "discovery" of anthracite remains one of those historical episodes that lies somewhere between fact and folklore.
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The Summit Hill Heritage Center has a model of the Switchback Railroad and many other artifacts from Summit Hill's past history.
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A turn of the century farm in beautiful Bloomingdale Valley situated on 19 acres just minutes from historic downtown Jim Thorpe.
