Author: Alexa Freyman
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Summit House Hotel & Gravity Tower
Read more: Summit House Hotel & Gravity TowerSummit House Hotel The Summit House Hotel was once a popular destination along the Gravity Railroad on Mount Penn. Construction of the building began in the summer of 1891. The first mention of the establishment in the Reading Times was on August 7th, 1891 when a small snippit was published in the “City News in…
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Mansion House Hotel – Penn Square
Read more: Mansion House Hotel – Penn SquareOn the southeast corner of 5th and Penn in Reading used to sit the Mansion House Hotel. Its foundation dated back to the late 1700s – the site of the first hotel ever constructed in the city. The Mansion House was once Reading’s largest and most well-known hotel. Many prominent leaders patronized the establishment, including…
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Dr. Joseph A. Zook – Morgantown’s resident physician
Read more: Dr. Joseph A. Zook – Morgantown’s resident physicianI came across this photo in PA’s power library digital archives. It was simply labeled J.A. Zook Morgantown, and portrays a young family standing outside their home. I have taken to enhancing and colorizing old images lately in an attempt to bring the past closer to the present. Adding the dimension of color helps us…
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Colonial Trust Company Building
Read more: Colonial Trust Company BuildingThe Colonial Trust Company was established in May 1900. It was formed by a handful of local capitalists including the likes of William McIlvain, John Barbey, Frank Lauer, E. W. Alexander, B. F. Owen, S.B. Keppel, Walter Rigg, and Howard Saylor. They opened for business officially in August 1900 and Louis F. Kraemer was the…
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Peak Fall Foliage and Website Updates
Read more: Peak Fall Foliage and Website UpdatesHappy Election day! As you may have noticed there have been some big changes to the website. Instead of going directly to the blog, I have created a landing page at BerksNostalgia.com which I think more accurately reflects the scope in which I currently provide content and services. Take a look and feel free to…
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The Abandoned Daniel Lorah Homestead
Read more: The Abandoned Daniel Lorah HomesteadDaniel Lorah was born on December 9th, 1810 in Amityville. He purchased parcels of land in Lower Heidelberg Township beginning in 1848 to create his estate. The home was constructed shortly after, as the Lorah family consisting of Daniel, wife Anna, children Calvin, Mahlon and Alice, and servant Susan are listed as living there in…
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How Stoneman Willie broke into the global spotlight and took me with him
Read more: How Stoneman Willie broke into the global spotlight and took me with himAs I sit here reflecting on the week and everything that has transpired I can think of only one word: whirlwind. It was only seven days ago that I was flying my drone on Penn Square, capturing Reading’s 275th anniversary parade when I ran into a reporter and cameraman from Reuters who were covering the…
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Reading Airport’s Original 1939 Hangar
Read more: Reading Airport’s Original 1939 HangarBerks County’s desire for an airport began in the wake of World War I. By the late 1920s pioneering pilots like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart thrust aviation into the spotlight. Capitalizing on this popularity, small airfields like Whander Field in Ontelaunee Township popped up in 1927 and Madeira Field in Muhlenberg Township in 1929.…
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How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West Wyomissing
Read more: How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West WyomissingThe 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…
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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.…
