Charming Forge: The History of Berks County’s Iron Estate
7
08, 2026
2
08, 2026
Trexler Mansion Restoration Reaches New Milestone
In January 2021, GoReadingBerks used its Facebook platform to challenge developers and community leaders to save one of Reading's most recognizable landmarks—the 1869 Trexler Mansion, better known to many as the former Elks Lodge at 5th and Franklin Streets. Today, more than five [...]
27
09, 2025
From Iron Plantation to Scout Paradise to State Park: The Story of Hopewell Furnace and Camp Hopewell
In the woodlands south of Reading, Pennsylvania, the landscape around French Creek tells two quintessentially American stories. One is the 18th–19th-century tale of Hopewell Furnace—an industrial community of ironmasters, colliers, founders, and teamsters who helped forge a young nation. The other is the [...]
2
09, 2025
P. F. Eisenbrown of Reading, PA—and the Twin Firemen’s Statue that Connects Reading to Manila
P. F. Eisenbrown & Sons traces its roots to the Eagle Marble & Granite Works in Reading’s 300 block of North Sixth Street, founded in 1873 by Penrose Frederick (“P. F.”) Eisenbrown (1831–1898), the grandson of a German immigrant. Trained in wood-carving by [...]
24
08, 2025
From Log Cabin to High-Rise: The Evolution of Reading’s Madison Building
At the corner of Fourth and Washington Streets in Reading, Pennsylvania, stands a site that embodies over 260 years of transformation. From a humble Quaker log meetinghouse to a Revolutionary War hospital, from a state-of-the-art 1920s skyscraper to a collection of high-end apartment [...]
8
07, 2025
Mount Penn Honors Veterans with Memorial Clock
Mount Penn Dedicates Memorial Clock to Honor War Heroes On the evening of July 18, 1949, the borough of Mount Penn solemnly dedicated its war memorial—a bronze-cased clock atop a towering limestone pylon—in tribute to the men and women who served in the [...]
6
07, 2025
The Evolving Legacy of Mount Penn’s 23rd & Perkiomen Ave.
The corner of 23rd Street and Perkiomen Avenue in Mount Penn has long been a focal point of community life, with a layered history stretching back more than two centuries. One of the earliest known structures at the site was the White Bear [...]
5
07, 2025
Six Mile House: Landmark Lost to Progress
Located along the Allentown Pike in Ontelaunee Township, six miles north of Reading, the Six Mile House was more than just a tavern—it was a fixture of local travel and hospitality that stood for nearly two centuries. Constructed in the early 1770s, the [...]
19
06, 2025
The Three-Mile House and the Reading Driving Park (Shillington Speedway)
The history of the Three-Mile House and the adjacent Reading Driving Park is a richly layered narrative that traces Berks County’s transformation from colonial frontier to early automotive experimentation. Built in 1761 by George Riehm, the Three-Mile House was originally a two-story sandstone [...]
3
03, 2025
Demolition Begins on 431 Penn Street: A Story of Neglect and Lost Heritage
Demolition is set to begin today on the city-owned building at 431 Penn Street, marking another chapter in Reading’s ongoing struggle with historic preservation and municipal mismanagement. Once a symbol of architectural grandeur, the structure—particularly its Beaux-Arts façade—has been left to decay under [...]