Category: 1960s
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On this Day – Feb 7th 1967 – Blizzard Staggers Berks
Read more: On this Day – Feb 7th 1967 – Blizzard Staggers Berks16 inches of snow dumps on Berks, closing schools across the county. Lets see a movie…
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Meckley’s Hat Shop
Read more: Meckley’s Hat ShopIf you ever visited Sinking Spring to purchase a hat from Meckley’s Hat Shop, you may have been acquainted with my great-grandfather, Ernest Meckley. He grew up in Fritztown and his career began in 1938 at Bollman Hat Factory in Adamstown. Ernie’s career with hats didn’t begin in retail but the manufacturing of the product.…
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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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Haunted Fairgrounds Square Mall
Read more: Haunted Fairgrounds Square MallThe 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,…
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Distelfink Freeze – Rigg’s Drive-In
Read more: Distelfink Freeze – Rigg’s Drive-InDistelfink Freeze aka Rigg’s Drive In was another 1950s and 60s refreshment establishment and was located near Fleetwood. It was located on route 222 roughly 2 miles southwest of Kutztown. It was located along route 222 near the old Lincoln Tavern in part of the area torn down to make room for the Kutztown exit…
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Old Man Echo – Wyomissing’s Gate to the Underworld
Read more: Old Man Echo – Wyomissing’s Gate to the UnderworldIf you grew up in the Wyomissing Borough in the early and mid 20th century you might recall Old Man Echo. It was an entrance to the sewer water drainage system which could be followed for miles underneath the streets of Wyomissing. Presumably getting its name from the effect ones voice had when speaking or…
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Ted’s Soft Ice Cream – Blandon
Read more: Ted’s Soft Ice Cream – BlandonTed’s Soft Ice Cream was in operation between 1960-1976 in Blandon. It was owned by Theodore and Grace Hughes. After closing up the ice cream shop in 1976 they went on to operate a business called Ted’s Soft Pretzel’s. Unfortunately Theodore passed in 1982 and Grace ran the business until retiring in 1986. Do you…
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Pensupreme
Read more: PensupremePensupreme was the trade name of Penn Dairy; which originated in Lancaster County. The dairy had restaurants referred to as “Pensupreme Shoppes” which served food and ice cream. They also branched into “Grocerettes” which were basically convenience stores in various places around eastern PA. The main milk processing plant was in York, PA. In Berks…
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Muhlenberg Township High
Read more: Muhlenberg Township HighIn 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…
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Perry Township High School
Read more: Perry Township High SchoolAs early as 1821, citizens accepted the “public school” for their children in Shoemakersville. In 1854 Perry Township had nine school buildings with a total enrollment of 417 pupils. In 1865 the school board was established. Today several of the original school houses still remain. The first class to graduate from an established Perry Township…
