Category: 1910s
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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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McGinty Motorcars
Read more: McGinty MotorcarsBack in October Pat McGinty of McGinty Motorcars was kind enough to give me a tour of his building at 1041-43 Washington Street in Reading. The structure sits on the east end of Washington near the foot of City Park. In 1882 the deed for this property was transfered to a George Schroeder, who died…
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Peter Wanner Mansion – Fraught by Failure
Read more: Peter Wanner Mansion – Fraught by FailureThe Peter Wanner Mansion sits at the very east end of Walnut Street in Reading, at the base of Mount Penn. The Victorian mansion was designed by Edward K. Mull and built in 1889 for Peter D. Wanner. Wanner was born on a farm near Kutztown in 1840. Despite his humble roots Wanner was driven…
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Shillington Hotel & Bank
Read more: Shillington Hotel & BankThis was originally posted on July 29th, 2024 to Berks Nostalgia’s facebook page, I have since added some more info and am reposting it here. Everyone likes to dump on Reading for its blighted properties (and it’s generally warranted) but lets put Shillington in the spotlight and examine the building on the southwest corner of…
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D. S. & W. Hosiery Mill / The Great Factory Store
Read more: D. S. & W. Hosiery Mill / The Great Factory StoreD. S. & W. Hosiery Company filed a charter of incorporation in June of 1917. The three men who founded it – Daniel J. Driscoll, William W. Staudt, and George S. Weinerth, had extensive experience in the textile industry by the time they partnered together. In the charter the shares of the company were split;…
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Was Reading’s U.S.S. Maine Anchor a hoax?
Read more: Was Reading’s U.S.S. Maine Anchor a hoax?Most are aware that Reading has a U.S.S. Maine Anchor which sits at 11th and Washington Streets in City Park, yet few know of the tumultuous process in which it was dedicated here. A quick history recap: the U.S.S. Maine sunk after it suffered an explosion while in the Havana Harbor on February 15th, 1898,…
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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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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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Bertrand H. Farr and his Dream Garden
Read more: Bertrand H. Farr and his Dream GardenForeward Roughly a year ago I was contacted by a man named George Edmonds. He wanted to talk to me about books he wrote revolving around his home town of Wyomissing. George was kind enough to share photos with me as well as send me a copy of one of those books, “Dream Gardener –…
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George Field
Read more: George FieldReading High’s First Home Field George Field is located at 1801 North 5t Street. The land for this field was purchased by Reading High School’s Athletic Association on May 28th, 1909. The field was dedicated officially three days later on May 31st, 1909. At this time the Boys and Girls High Schools were separate entities,…