Category: Muhlenberg

  • How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West Wyomissing

    The earliest years of the Reading Fair were held at City Park and then a plot on North 11th street. During the early 1910s the Berks County Agricultural Society was tired of leasing the land at North 11th Street and wanted a more permanent location they could call their own. On April 3rd, 1914 it…

    Read more: How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West Wyomissing
  • Miller’s Ice Cream, Candy & 5 – 10 – 1.00 Stores

    Miller’s is an establishment that has eluded me for the entirety of my six-year “career” chronicling beloved places of the past in Berks County. I came to know of the name through my Mother telling me of her own memories at the Miller’s Drive-In which was located in Sinking Spring at 4700 Penn Avenue. Today…

    Read more: Miller’s Ice Cream, Candy & 5 – 10 – 1.00 Stores
  • Showbiz Pizza Place & Major Magic

    Showbiz 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…

    Read more: Showbiz Pizza Place & Major Magic
  • Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway Plaque Dedication

    On Saturday May 21st, 2022, a plaque commemorating the Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway was ceremonially dedicated to the drivers who lost their lives there. The brainchild of Jeff Hartman, Saturday’s event has been over a decade in the making, with a few bumps along the way. He originally pursued the idea back in 2010, when…

    Read more: Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway Plaque Dedication
  • Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969

    On 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…

    Read more: Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969
  • Warren St. Bypass

    On this Day – February 21st 1977

    100 Block of Penn Street is Demolished Buildings along the north side of the 100 block of Penn Street, next to the Penn Street Bridge, are being demolished. The properties are being razed by Fred E. Erb, Pequea, Lancaster County, under a contract with the Reading Redevelopment Authority (RRA). The area is part of the…

    Read more: On this Day – February 21st 1977
  • Haunted Fairgrounds Square Mall

    The Fairgrounds Square Mall has itself become a ghost. It was just demolished over what will inevitably go down as the infamous Summer of 2020. The mall was on its last leg for years, and it only seemed fitting that it would meet its end in such a year as this one has been. However,…

    Read more: Haunted Fairgrounds Square Mall
  • Muhlenberg Township High

    In 1830, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enacted a law requiring all municipalities to have separate school districts. Muhlenberg Township became a municipality in 1851. At this time the Muhlenberg School District was officially established with a one-room school called Schlottman School which was located on Kutztown Road. Muhlenberg Township High School was built in 1924-1925…

    Read more: Muhlenberg Township High
  • Sammy’s Steaks

    Sammy’s Steaks was a pretty popular sandwich joint that was founded in 1946. The “Original” shop was at 12th and Buttonwood Sts. While under family ownership they sliced their own meats from fresh formed ribeyes and NEVER used anything but; unlike the emulsified meat that most others use today. They also made their own sauce…

    Read more: Sammy’s Steaks
  • On this day Nov 18th, 1959

    Future site of Western Electric purchased in Muhlenberg Township TV Stereo Advertisement from Pomeroys Dance to your favorite records plated on the 4-speed automatic record changer or simple add the space-saving stereo amplifier unit and enjoy life-like realism of stereophonic sound. Or just relax and enjoy this big-screen TV. Yours now for the first time…

    Read more: On this day Nov 18th, 1959
Berks Nostalgia