Category: 1990s
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The Astor Theatre
Read more: The Astor TheatreThe Astor Theatre was constructed at the cost of half a million dollars on the south side of the 700 block of Penn Street. It was built on the site of the Arcadia Theatre, which was Reading’s oldest theatre, and opened on October 3rd, 1928. The Astor’s stunning art deco interior finishes are emblematic of…
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A Century of Progress with the Junior League of Reading
Read more: A Century of Progress with the Junior League of ReadingIn 1901 the Junior League was founded in New York City as the Junior League for the Promotion of Settlement Movement. It was founded within a time of great social unrest and an emerging feminist movement. On August 6th, 1923 ten wives and daughters of Reading’s elite industrialists met in the living room of Mrs.…
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Showbiz Pizza Place & Major Magic
Read more: Showbiz Pizza Place & Major MagicShowbiz Pizza Place incorporated in 1980 and entered the Berks County market in 1982. Its location was in Muhlenberg Plaza on the northern Belleview Avenue side. Showbiz Pizza featured an entertaining cast of animatronic characters including Billy Bob Brockali, Looney Bird, Fatz Geronimo and Mitzi Mozzarella. This main stage animatronic show was called “The Rock-afire…
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On this Day, March 13th, 1993 – “The Storm of the Century”
Read more: On this Day, March 13th, 1993 – “The Storm of the Century”30 Years has passed since the Blizzard of 1993. It was initially described as “The Storm of the Century“, but only three years later the Blizzard of 1996 hit which easily topped this storm for that title. Late on the night of Friday, March 12th, 1993 the storm hit Berks County. In the days before…
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The Ranch House
Read more: The Ranch HouseA staple on Penn Avenue in West Lawn for nearly a half century, the owners of the Circle S Ranch House announced on March 30th that they would be closing permanently on April 8th, 2022. The building was built in 1969 as a Schell’s. It replaced the location that was further east down Penn Avenue…
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Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969
Read more: Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969On November 14th 1969 the second crewed flight to the moon, known as Apollo 12, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It successfully made contact with the moon on this day, November 19th 1969. When it landed, so did small but significant pieces from Berks County. A number of components on the lunar lander…
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The Blizzard of 1996 – 25 Years
Read more: The Blizzard of 1996 – 25 YearsA quarter century ago this week we were hit with the biggest blizzard on record for the area. Snow started falling on January 6th 1996 and stopped on the 8th. Parts of Berks County recorded 34 inches of snow, but the raging winds caused major drifts which made the snow pile up to 100 inches…
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The Grand View Sanatorium; a Century of Tragedy
Read more: The Grand View Sanatorium; a Century of TragedyThere is a dense, dark atmosphere on the windy roads that once led to old sanatoriums that graced the wooded South Mountain below Wernersville. If you have ever driven around up there after nightfall you probably know what I mean. The mountain is rich with history, but the oldest and some of the most frightening…
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Wilson High School
Read more: Wilson High SchoolThe original Wilson High School building was erected in 1929 on Grandview Boulevard above West Lawn. The first school year started in Fall 1929 and housed 7th-12th grades. The name of the school was chosen in the hope that the life of the man in whose honor it was named, Woodrow Wilson, might serve as…
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On this Day, May, 31st 1998: Lyons Tornado
Read more: On this Day, May, 31st 1998: Lyons TornadoOn May 31st 1998, an F3 tornado went through Lyons, PA and caused much destruction. Luckily, no lives were lost as a result of it, but many resident’s properties were heavily damaged. The tornado caused roughly $1,400,000 worth of damage to local homes and properties around Lyons. The town was closed off for nearly a…
