Category: architecture
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The Hawthorne & George F. Baer
Read more: The Hawthorne & George F. BaerIn the shadow of the Pagoda, at 1501 Mineral Spring Road, sits the Hawthorne; mansion of the late George F. Baer. A statement to his influence, the Baer moniker still echos throughout Reading to present day. You may recognize it as the namesake of a park at the far northwest reaches of the city and…
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Old Rajah Temple | 525 Franklin Street
Read more: Old Rajah Temple | 525 Franklin StreetThe beginning of the local Rajah chapter dates to 1892 when the Berks County members of the Lulu Temple were tired of making the journey to Philadelphia to attend meetings. They decided to pursue a local charter with the national Rajah organization. In August of 1892 they were granted their charter and purchased the former…
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History behind the charred remains of 113-117 North 5th Street
Read more: History behind the charred remains of 113-117 North 5th StreetIn the early morning hours of September 3rd a three-alarm fire ravaged the two buildings north of the old Berkshire Hotel at 113-117 North Fifth Street. The cause of this fire is still under investigation, but there are reports that people heard an explosion at the rear of the two structures just before it began.…
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Liever Building, 439 Penn Street
Read more: Liever Building, 439 Penn StreetNext on the Penn Street chopping block to demolish is the Liever building, which is located at 437 Penn Street in Reading. Due to its prime location in the square, we can be certain the site was one of the earliest settled in the city. In the 18th century the Hiester House, home of Joseph…
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Staufer Building – 62 S. 6th Street
Read more: Staufer Building – 62 S. 6th StreetThe Staufer Building at 62 South 6th Street was constructed in Romanesque-style in 1897 by William M. Staufer. A large portion of the upper floors were devoted to the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, who utilized the space to house young unemployed women who needed safe accommodations. A November 17th, 1897 Reading Eagle article about the…
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Stirling Mansion, the Sternbergh Estate
Read more: Stirling Mansion, the Sternbergh EstateAt 1120 Centre Avenue sits the Stirling Mansion, crown jewel of the Sternbergh Estate; one of Reading’s most extravagant industrial-era homes. It was built for iron and steel industrialist James Hervey Sternbergh, who constructed the estate on land that was in 1890 rural Centre Park. Built in Châteauesque-style based on French revivalist architecture; the home…
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Turner Building – 100 South 4th Street
Read more: Turner Building – 100 South 4th StreetThere has been a bit of drama recently surrounding the property at 100 South 4th Street in Reading. The property was purchased in 2021 by Dream Ventures PA II LLC, front for Brooklyn-based developer Heights Advisors. This is the same investment company which currently owns the Luden Mansion/Central Catholic and the Santander office building at…
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Reading News Building Facade
Read more: Reading News Building FacadeThe Reading News building and its facade were constructed in 1912 for a brand new print publication at 22-24 North Fifth Street. In April 1912 the property, described as a three-story dwelling house, was purchased by local developer Wiliam A. Sharp. It is likely that Sharp was in charge of developing the structure into one…
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Reading Pagoda – History, Present & Future
Read more: Reading Pagoda – History, Present & FutureFor nearly 120 years the Pagoda has served as a beacon to generations of us who have called Reading and greater Berks County home. What is its story? How does such a unique Japanese structure end up on a mountain in Pennsylvania? What’s happening now? You have likely noticed the building has been closed and…
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Birdsboro’s Brooke Mansion
Read more: Birdsboro’s Brooke MansionThe Brooke Mansion (aka Brookeholm) in Birdsboro was built in 1887 for Edward Brooke II as a present for his new wife and second cousin, Anne Louise Clingan. They were married in St. Michaels Episcopal Church in Birdsboro on October 12th, 1887. The Brooke family’s relevance in the area stems from Edward’s grandfather, Matthew Brooke…
