Category: 1920s
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George Horst & His Sheerlund Estate
Read more: George Horst & His Sheerlund EstateThis article was co-authored by Brian C. Engelhardt and originally appeared in the Fall 2021 edition of the Historical Review A Man Too Modest for Who’s Who It is ironic that the Reading Eagle’s most recent mention of the late George D. Horst was in connection with the March 30, 2014 auction of his collection…
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Happy New Year, 1925
Read more: Happy New Year, 1925I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year in 2025, but I figured now was as good a time as any to turn back the pages a century to see what our ancestors were feeling when 1925 burst into the “now”. The January 1st, 1925 Reading Times has the headline: “Buy in Reading!”…
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Astor Theatre – 732 Penn Street, Reading
Read more: Astor Theatre – 732 Penn Street, ReadingThe Astor Theatre was constructed at the cost of half a million dollars on the south side of the 700 block of Penn Street. It was built on the site of the Arcadia Theatre, which was Reading’s oldest theatre, and opened on October 3rd, 1928. The Astor’s stunning art deco interior finishes are emblematic of…
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Fox Lake: remnants of a Berks County Summer Community
Read more: Fox Lake: remnants of a Berks County Summer CommunityBefore Blue Marsh there was Fox Lake Before Blue Marsh Lake was even a thought, Fox Lake was a small man-made lake along the Spring Creek right before it merged with the Tulpehocken Creek in North Heidelberg Township. It was a popular summer destination in Berks County beginning in 1928 through the mid-century. Initially developer…
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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.…
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Is the Lindbergh Viaduct Cursed?
Read more: Is the Lindbergh Viaduct Cursed?In the early 1920s there was no easy way to get to Reading proper from the east; the direction of metropolitan Philadelphia. Traffic generally came through rural Exeter Township, into Mount Penn, and down the two lane Perkiomen Avenue. By 1925 with the increasing availability of the automobile it was clear that the small residential…
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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,…
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The Luden Family & the Ghost of Bon Air
Read more: The Luden Family & the Ghost of Bon AirLast summer I wrote an extensive article on Central Catholic High School as a part of a greater “Defunct Schools of Berks” series. It has been a decade since the merger of Central Catholic and Holy Name into Berks Catholic. So it is time to dive into some tangible research to answer a few of…
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The Robbery of the Century | Wyomissing Bank Heist | Feb 4th 1921
Read more: The Robbery of the Century | Wyomissing Bank Heist | Feb 4th 1921One hundred years ago today – February 4, 1921, six armed men stormed into the Peoples Trust Company of Wyomissing shortly before noon demanding everyone get on the ground. Three jumped the counter and forced clerks to open the vault by gunpoint. The audacious robbers didn’t even try to obscure their faces and were unmasked…
