Hockley Lane: The Reading That Almost Was
17
09, 2026
7
04, 2026
The Bavarian Volksfest and Beneficial Association of Reading, Pennsylvania: A History
On May 29, 1887, a group of German-speaking Catholic immigrants gathered in Reading, Pennsylvania, and did what thousands of immigrant communities across America were doing in the late nineteenth century — they organized. They pooled their small resources, pledged mutual loyalty, and formed [...]
18
12, 2025
A Mohnton Christmas Eve
The winter of 1920 had wrapped the Governor Mifflin area in a blanket of white, and on this particular Christmas Eve, young Thomas Kohl pressed his nose against the frosted window of Kohl's Mill, watching the snowflakes dance in the golden light that [...]
31
10, 2025
Ghost Stories from the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower
High above Reading on the Mount Penn ridgeline, the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower mixes postcard views with moonlit lore. The 120-foot stone-and-concrete sentinel opened on October 28, 1939 as a Works Progress Administration project, replacing an earlier lookout near the Gravity Railroad [...]
3
10, 2025
Screpesi’s Sandwich Shop: A Reading Tradition Since 1949
Screpesi’s Sandwich Shop in Reading, Pennsylvania—founded in August 1949 by Joseph and Stella Screpesi—has delighted locals for over seventy-five years with fresh food, friendly service, fair prices, and a proudly simple, memorable menu. Joseph Screpesi Humble Beginnings The first shop opened its [...]
27
09, 2025
Speakeasies to Supermoms: A Stumble Through Berks County’s 20th Century
Alright folks, buckle up your Locomobile steamers and put your quarters in the gas meter, because we're taking a high-speed, slightly unhinged journey through the 20th Century. Forget what you learned in history class; this is the real story, full of deadly sleds, [...]
4
04, 2025
The Epic Saga of Reading Outlets: From Rags to Riches to Rags Again
Gather ‘round, ye seekers of discounted fleece, for the tale of the Redding Pennsylvania outlets—er, Reading Pennsylvania outlets (curse that silent “a”)—is a yarn spun from the looms of history, greed, and polyester blends. Once the crowned jewel of America’s bargain empire, this [...]
14
02, 2025
Sarge’s Japanese Ice Cream Parlor: 932 Penn Street
Sarge's Japanese Ice Cream Parlor opened its doors on June 24, 1916, at 932 Penn Street in Reading, Pennsylvania. Designed with an Oriental-inspired facade, the building reflected the early 20th-century fascination with Japanese aesthetics fueled by cultural phenomena like Puccini's Madame Butterfly and [...]
17
01, 2025
The Environmental Legacy of Beryllium Copper Production in Muhlenberg Township
The Beryllium Corporation was established in 1933 and relocated in 1935 to 150 Tuckerton Road in Temple, Pennsylvania, where it took over the former site of the Pennsylvania Malleable Iron Company. This site became a key hub for beryllium copper production in the [...]
30
11, 2024
Monsignor John J. Grabish: A Legacy of Faith and Service
Monsignor John J. Grabish has devoted over five decades to serving the Catholic Church and its communities, embodying a life of faith, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. From his ordination in 1972 to his present role as pastor of St. [...]