Category: Christmas
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Santa Lands a Helicopter in City Park – On this day in 1955
Read more: Santa Lands a Helicopter in City Park – On this day in 1955Happy Thanksgiving Berks Nostalgiacs! The holiday season is here, so here is a peek back to that time that Santa Claus flew a helicopter and landed it at City Park in Reading. It happened on this day, November 25th, 1955. Two little girls served as a reception committee for Santa Claus after he landed his…
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Reading’s Christmas Balloon Parade – On this day in 1953
Read more: Reading’s Christmas Balloon Parade – On this day in 1953On this day, November 21st, 1953, over 50,000 gathered to watch the first ever Christmas balloon parade make its way down Penn Street in Reading. Public transportation was swamped, and it was reported that adults and children walked from as far as Wyomissing to see the spectacle. The upper photo shows what City Park looked…
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Santa Photo Mystery Location – From the Family Album
Read more: Santa Photo Mystery Location – From the Family AlbumMy Mother and Aunt are in the process of going through my Grandmother’s possessions and cleaning out her house. They came across these photos of children and their mothers waiting in line to sit on Santa’s lap. My Grandmother is the young woman in the white coat and black hat, holding the hand of my…
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On this Day – January 8th, 1977
Read more: On this Day – January 8th, 1977While Christmas is behind us for another year, the snow-covered scene of Penn Square Friday afternoon brought to mind memories of the old Bing Crosby standard. Although shoppers were scarce due to driving conditions, the view they missed was worth a lot.
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Ice City – Sinking Spring / Douglassville
Read more: Ice City – Sinking Spring / DouglassvilleIce City was a Pool & spa supply store first located on 422 in Douglassville, and then added a second location Penn Ave in Sinking Spring. The company was originally started and owned by Richard Muller in 1958. Muller in 1956 bought the Pure Ice and Coal Co. at 17th and Tilghman streets, Allentown. “Back…
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Penn Square at Christmas
Read more: Penn Square at ChristmasPenn Square in Reading PA during the Christmas season in the 1940s. In the distance is Pomeroy’s department store. A lighted Christmas tree sat in the very center of the traffic circle in the middle of the square. Lighting and decor were quite the spectacle for shoppers that were finding gifts for their family and…
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Millmont Bus Stop, 5th & Penn Street, 1940s
Read more: Millmont Bus Stop, 5th & Penn Street, 1940sIt’s Christmastime, snow is falling, and shoppers are catching the bus back to Millmont from 5th & Penn St.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 25- 1969 Christmas Day Snowstorm
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 25- 1969 Christmas Day SnowstormMerry Christmas Berks County!!! In 1969 there was a “White Christmas” in Berks County! Do you remember? We had over a foot of snow! All images courtesy of the Reading Eagle. Who Said There Was a Downtown Traffic Problem? A traffic light continues to carry out its duties despite the lack of vehicles as one…
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Berks County Christmas – Day 24 – Blinking Pagoda
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 24 – Blinking PagodaMerry Christmas Eve! When I was a child, I was always told to look to the Pagoda on Christmas Eve, and when it blinked, Santa was spotted nearby. That marked bedtime on Christmas Eve for countless children over the decades. According to this WFMZ article, This Reading Eagle article goes a little into the history…
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Berks County Christmas – Day 22 – Railroad Travel
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 22 – Railroad TravelBefore planes were the main means of traveling during the holidays, many people took trains. If you traveled as a passenger on the Reading Railroad, it would have been in a car like the one pictured below: Did you ever use the railroads to travel for the holidays?
