The Parish Manufacturing Company was co-founded by Neff Parish and John Sullivan in 1905 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Prior to this, Neff Parish had worked with the Parish and Bingham Company in Cleveland, Ohio, where he pioneered the production of pressed-steel frames, which replaced [...]
Pennsylvania has earned a reputation as the heart of the American potato chip industry, a title rooted in the state’s rich agricultural history, its entrepreneurial spirit, and the rise of family-owned snack companies. From small towns to bustling factories, Pennsylvania’s landscape is dotted [...]
The history of whiskey distilling in Berks County can be traced back to the 18th century. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Berks County, like many other areas in Pennsylvania, was part of a thriving whiskey production industry. Pennsylvania was one of the [...]
William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, is best known for establishing a colony based on principles of religious freedom and democracy, but his legacy also intersects with the history of beer making in early America. William Penn (1644–1718) was an English Quaker and [...]
As the Reading Liederkranz celebrates Oktoberfest we are reminded that the month of October is German Heritage Month. German people began moving to Pennsylvania as early as 1683. Between 1683 and 1783, more than 100,000 German-speaking immigrants from the Palantine, Wurttemberg, and Hesse; [...]
The residences of the Muhlenberg brothers, Henry A. Muhlenberg, Jr. and Dr. Hiester H. Muhlenberg, at 401 and 403 Penn Street, were frequently referred to as "twin mansions." The region's expansion was significantly influenced by the Muhlenberg brothers, Hiester and Henry. Their residences, [...]
John D. Mishler was a prominent figure in theater, business, civic leadership, philanthropy, and journalism, with his influence extending across multiple fields that shaped both the cultural and social landscape of Reading and Berks County. He was born on April 28, 1847, in [...]
George Romanta Kinney founded the shoe company, G.R. Kinney & Co., Inc. in 1894 in Waverly, New York. His story is one of a man with a vision who faced difficult obstacles and triumphed. He persevered and invested his time and energy into a [...]
The triangular-shaped building at the intersection of 8th and 9th streets was once known as the Flatiron Building, although its original name was the Hotel Junction, with the address 1012 N. 9th St. Reading has a few of these triangular structures, but none with [...]
In 1893, David Rosenbaum constructed one of Reading's most exquisite and ornamental structures. Mr. Rosenbaum moved to Reading in 1882 and purchased the property at 702 Penn Street and the southeast corner lot at Seventh and Penn Streets, where he founded his Clothier [...]
