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 [...]
William Penn wooed and won people from their troubled homes in the Palatinate and Upper Rhine in the middle of the 17th century. Since then, the Pennsylvania Dutch have been known for their love of good food, their large tables, and the heartiness [...]
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 [...]
Jenny Terry, a former slave, became the matriarch of a large and important family in Reading’s history. Jenny first arrived in the city with her nine children: Moses J., Johnson L., Charles L., Lee B., Frank, Andrew, Helen, Barbara, and Mary. Jenny had been [...]
Photos by Gress Photography. Big Spring Farm is on Route 422 east of Conrad Weiser High School. The farm is on a parcel of property originally consisting of 2,794 acres that William Allen had surveyed on October 20, 1730. The area was a part [...]
