Around 1992, 8 million people used to shop the Reading area outlets each year. People would drive from near and far to shop in the old knitting and textile mills that were converted into more than 300 outlet stores. The number of shops [...]
In 1927, Rev. Theodore Hammeke, rector of St. Paul's Church, established St. Paul's Commercial School as a department of the parochial school. In 1928 Rev. William Hammeke, brother of Fr. Theodore Hammeke, who died that same year from pneumonia, became the new pastor [...]
Warren Street was constructed around 1920, running from Fayette Street near the Tulpehocken Creek east to a dead end near the Schuylkill River. In 1949, plans were made to build a four-lane bridge across Tulpehocken Creek at Warren Street. As part of this [...]
On April 11, 1882 a contract for constructing the Hampden Reservoir was awarded to Nolan & Bros. for the sum of $87,650. Work began on the 15th of April, 1882 and during that time there were, numerous workmen employed. One hundred and fifty [...]
The old iron bridge which connected Wyomissing and West Lawn was built in 1925. Below: Photos showing the iron bridge which was under construction at the time. Below: 1960 Map showing location of old iron bridge. The bridge had three [...]
The property at 730 Centre Avenue, known as the Wilhelm Mansion, consists of two buildings, the mansion and the carriage house on 0.63 acres of landscaped setting on one of Reading's most attractive and prestigious boulevards. The mansion is a three-story Gothic Revival [...]
John Philip Sousa (November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him from [...]
The Reading Railroad massacre of July 23, 1877, in which ten people lost their lives, was the climax of local events in Reading, Pennsylvania during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, from which the Reading Railroad was born, [...]
From 1770 to 1847 the Berks County jail was located at the northeast corner of the Fifth and Washington Streets. This jail was an old two-story stone building erected in 1770. The jail lot, 230 feet by 61 feet, 4 inches, included a [...]
Count Berthold von Imhoff was a famous painter of religious art works. He was born Jan. 14, 1868, in Karlsruhe, Germany. At age 12, he started studying at various European art schools including Oberwinter, Halle-an-der-Halle, and the art institute at Karlsruhe, Baden. In [...]
