by Barbara Mumma • Mauch Chunk Museum & Cultural Center, Secretary • Special to The Current
In many conversations with John Drury, I learned about his family and his life in our town. The Drury Family of Philadelphia has been involved in the physical and cultural revival of Jim Thorpe, Pa. for the past thirty-four years. John will be ninety years old this month and has been married to his high school sweetheart Janet for sixty-eight years.
After graduating from Germantown High School in Philadelphia in 1950, he received a degree in education from Temple University in 1954. Following service in the Army, John continued his schooling at the Cleveland Clinic and became a licensed physical therapist. He continued working as a physical therapist for fifty years – at first in Philadelphia and later in Luzerne and Carbon Counties.
Janet and John have three sons – David, Dale, and Mark. David was born in Japan in 1955, his brother Dale in 1960, and Mark in 1963; both in Philadelphia. David studied hotel and restaurant management; Dale, accounting and marketing; and Mark, business administration. Each found work and became successful in their areas of expertise.
Along the way, John became interested in real estate development, renovating Jersey shore properties in Avalon, Ocean City, and Strathmere from 1965 through 1975. In Philadelphia he owned and operated the Chestnut Hill Hotel until 1981. He later owned and operated the Delmar Morris Apartment Complex in Germantown until 1986. This was followed by a partnership with four, who purchased and renovated the historic Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA, where John served as General Contractor until 1989.
John “discovered” Jim Thorpe in 1975 and purchased one hundred acres overlooking the newly developed Mauch Chunk Lake for family and Boy Scout camping. In the late 1980’s, after shedding other properties, he focused on Jim Thorpe to live and be involved in its revival. So he then purchased the New American Hotel in 1988, renamed it the Inn at Jim Thorpe, and acquired the abandoned St. Paul’s Methodist Church on West Broadway. With the help of the townspeople, especially Laura Thomas, a local physician’s wife, the first floor church parish hall was restored. It has been used steadily over the past thirty years as a museum.
The other remarkable contributor to the establishment of the Mauch Chunk Museum was Joan Gilbert, a grant-writer and creator of the early museum displays. In 2001 the former church sanctuary on the second floor was restored as a ballroom and has been used over the past twenty years for group gatherings, i.e., wedding receptions, Victorian balls, tea parties, band concerts, and local non-profit fund-raising events. The future financial health of the Mauch Chunk Museum has recently been partially secured through the establishment of a trust fund.
As a member of the Kemmerer Park Board, John was instrumental in saving the Kemmerer Mansion’s carriage house from the wrecking ball, with critical help from board president Bob Handwerk, and Carole and Ben Walbert. Volunteers including Jim Thorpe High School students, boy scouts from Troop 555, inmates from the Carbon County Correctional Facility, and importantly, the Kemmerer Family Fund, supported much of the restoration project over a nine-year period. Currently the Carriage House contains a one-bedroom apartment and a small museum/library and is located at 20 Packer Hill Road. The interesting history of the Front Hill Families and their contributions to the Mauch Chunk success story in the 18th and 19th century is told there.
The economic engine supplying the financial resources for the many causes and projects undertaken by John came from the Inn at Jim Thorpe, a successful business venture managed mainly by David Drury over the past thirty-two years. As John says, “there aren’t enough accolades to describe David’s constant, focused, dedicated management of the hotel and its restaurant.” This hotel is the stable anchor in the business section of the town. The Inn required a total rehabilitation to meet customer expectations for hotel quality.
With the help of real estate developer Jack Sturm (early partner and advisor;) Mike Gontar, general contractor; Ben Walbert, architect; Carole Walbert, attorney; Harold Queen, CEO of Mauch Chunk Trust Co. (as well as current CEO Patrick Reilly;) together with John’s business Partners, David Drury (hotel manager,) Dale Drury (financier,) Mark Drury (advisor,) and John Drury’s wife Janet (lifelong helpmate;) the challenges were met.
It is recognized that major efforts in the town’s renewal were well underway before the Drurys arrived. This included local folks who recalled the prosperous years before the Great Depression as well as the new pioneers with vision, cash and confidence. This brought to John’s mind, Betty Lou and Tom McBride, who acquired a number of properties and worked hard to make them important in the town’s subsequent success. Other pioneers in the town included those designated by governmental agencies to assist and encourage redevelopment. This included Agnes McCartney, Elissa Garofalo and Joe Seblin.
So, what has John learned from his life experiences? “Leap” sometimes “before you look” – or “You may never leap.” More importantly, “Happiness centers around giving – self and possessions.” “All you give is all you get in this life.”
What the World Needs Now… Is Love, Sweet Love!
Join us in helping Family Promise of Carbon County as they help the homeless families in our community! To celebrate his 90th Birthday in a way that honors his long-term commitment to this noble cause, John Drury, Mauch Chunk Museum founder and president, is hosting an ‘ART’ful ‘FUN’draiser event with all proceeds going to Family Promise on Saturday, March 26, 2022, from 7-11pm at the Mauch Chunk Museum Ballroom located at 41 West Broadway, Jim Thorpe. Parking is available at the train station. Wine, dine, sing, and dance the night away to The Bee’s Knees, covering your favorite 60’s rock hits and more! Admission includes a silent art auction, buffet dinner, cash bar, tricky tray raffles, and more. $30 per person or $55 per couple. For reservations, please call (570) 325-9190.
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