For almost 40 years, Reading, Pennsylvania, had a stubborn little traffic circle in Penn Square that seemed to have a life of its own—a ring of resilience, as if defying anyone who dared question its purpose. This is the story of the traffic circle that just couldn’t take a hint.
Our tale begins in May 1934, when Police Commissioner John S. Giles, under the leadership of Mayor Heber Ermentrout, decided that Reading’s bustling streets needed taming. So, naturally, he installed a circular outline in Penn Square, thinking, “Why not let cars slow each other down?” And slow down they did—sometimes with an extra nudge from the rear bumper of the car behind them.
The original circle was just a humble painted line, practically whispering, “Please don’t run me over.” But then the city decided to raise the stakes, installing posts to give it some backbone. Unfortunately, Reading’s drivers took the posts as a personal challenge, and soon enough, the city found itself in the full-time job of replacing all the toppled posts—each one falling faster than a game of dominoes played by blindfolded toddlers.
Below: Penn Square Traffic Circle, circa 1930s.
Like a bad first date, the circle’s introduction didn’t go exactly as planned. It was a nice idea in theory, but it turned out that traffic had a habit of crashing into itself. And that’s precisely why, just six years later, Police Chief George W. Schuck ordered the thing removed but it was soon restored. Six years later Mayor J. Henry Stump ordered more substantial barriers be installed.
In 1949, someone decided it was time for a slight compromise, creating gaps for Fifth Street traffic to make a sneak-through. Little by little, these gaps widened until the circle resembled a pie that had been nibbled on too many times. In 1952, the circle was restored.
Then came the early ’50s, the era of hot rods, greasers, and… endless debates about circle removal. Mayor James B. Bamford made a couple of attempts to finally liberate Penn Square from the circle’s stubborn grasp, ordering it removed in 1953 only to restore it shortly afterward. And just when residents thought they’d reached peak circle chaos, Bamford threw a curveball in 1959 by adding flowers, proving once again that if you can’t beat the traffic circle, you may as well garden around it.
Below: Penn Square Traffic Circle, circa 1960s.
The ‘60s saw a lot of change in America, and Reading was no exception. In 1963, Mayor John C. Kubacki decided to take matters into his own hands—literally. Equipped with nothing more than a crowbar and the determination of a man on his last day in office, Kubacki went down to Penn Square to see if he could pry the circle up himself. Turns out, concrete is harder than it looks, and the circle outlasted his final hours in office, as if to say, “Nice try, Mayor.”
Fast forward to 1973, when the city, finally armed with a budget, decided to get serious about removing the circle once and for all. A $1.1 million beautification project was set in motion, and the circle was taken down as a part of the endeavor. After nearly four decades of going in circles—literally—Reading’s roundabout days came to a close.
Ah, the circle’s gone now, but its memory lingers on like the faint smell of popcorn at the old cinema. Folks still talk about it now and then, that stubborn ring in Penn Square that no amount of good sense—or crowbars—could keep away for long. There was a certain charm to the whole ordeal, watching the city try time and again to rid itself of the circle, only for it to reappear like the neighbor’s cat that simply wouldn’t take a hint.
Below: Removal of Penn Square Traffic Circle (1973).
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