Pennsylvania – Heart of the American Potato Chip Industry
Pennsylvania has earned a reputation as the heart of the American potato chip industry, a title rooted in the [...]
Berks Distilleries and Stein’s Pure Rye Whiskey
The history of whiskey distilling in Berks County can be traced back to the 18th century. During the 18th [...]
William Penn’s influence on beer making in Pennsylvania
William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, is best known for establishing a colony based on principles of religious freedom [...]
American Pie – Pennsylvania Dutch Pie and Pastries
William Penn wooed and won people from their troubled homes in the Palatinate and Upper Rhine in the middle [...]
German American Heritage Month
As the Reading Liederkranz celebrates Oktoberfest we are reminded that the month of October is German Heritage Month. German [...]
The Twin Mansions of the Muhlenberg Brothers, 401 & 403 Penn Street
The residences of the Muhlenberg brothers, Henry A. Muhlenberg, Jr. and Dr. Hiester H. Muhlenberg, at 401 and 403 [...]
John D. Mishler, one of Reading’s most prominent figures in theater, business, civic leadership, philanthropy, and journalism
John D. Mishler was a prominent figure in theater, business, civic leadership, philanthropy, and journalism, with his influence extending [...]
G. R. Kinney Shoe Store, Reading, PA
George Romanta Kinney founded the shoe company, G.R. Kinney & Co., Inc. in 1894 in Waverly, New York. His story [...]
First Public “Colored School” in Reading, PA
Jenny Terry, a former slave, became the matriarch of a large and important family in Reading’s history. Jenny first arrived [...]
Big Spring Farm, Robesonia, PA
Photos by Gress Photography. Big Spring Farm is on Route 422 east of Conrad Weiser High School. The farm is [...]
St. Cecilia’s Memorial Chapel, Reading, PA
Theodore Ignatius Heizmann began the construction of St. Cecilia's Chapel in 1892-1893 in memory of his mother, Mary Cecilia Heizmann. [...]
Hotel Junction, Pennsylvania Trust Co., Flowers by Helen Heck, Ollie’s Cocktail Lounge, Idaho Spud Bar, and Gift Sisters School of Dance
The triangular-shaped building at the intersection of 8th and 9th streets was once known as the Flatiron Building, although its [...]
The Hazing Death of William Lee Terry, Reading High School’s First Black Graduate
On Wednesday morning, June 25, 1884, the Latin word "In limine" was placed above the stage at Reading's Grand Opera [...]
Saving a Sculptured Head from the former Girls’ High School
During the demolition of the Girls' High School at the corner of 4th and Court Streets in September 1961, Peter [...]
C. K. Whitner’s Department Store and the Southwest Corner of Fifth and Penn Streets
Whitner's Department Store has a rich history, beginning in 1877 when Calvin K. Whitner, a farmer-turned-storekeeper, opened his first [...]
City’s “Gate” sculpture by Robinson Fredenthal
The "Gate" is an outdoor metal sculpture by Robinson Fredenthal, commissioned by the Reading Redevelopment Authority for the North [...]
Reading’s First Renewal Plan
Penn Street for many years was a vibrant thoroughfare where people enjoyed shopping. Theaters, various types of commercial establishments, [...]
The Eric Theater – 3225 N. Fifth St., Muhlenberg Township
In 1969, a $165,000 bond was put in place for the building of the Eric Theater near Allentown Pike [...]
Rosenbaum Clothier and Hatter – 700-702 Penn Street, Reading, PA
In 1893, David Rosenbaum constructed one of Reading's most exquisite and ornamental structures. Mr. Rosenbaum moved to Reading in [...]
The Loew’s Colonial Theatre – Reading, PA
The Colonial Theatre, built by Carr and Schad in 1916 on the Breneiser property at 651–667 Penn Street between [...]
Construction of the Court Street Bridge – Reading, PA
The current Court Street Bridge was created as part of the Downtown East Urban Renewal Project. Construction of the [...]
