Category: 1950s
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4th of July Through the Decades
Read more: 4th of July Through the Decades1957 West Reading’s Fourth of July celebration yesterday was a double event. Besides celebrating the holiday the citizens and various organizations in the borough joined in a program in observation of the borough’s 50th anniversary. A spectacular feature of the day was the parade which was held in the morning. Shown above is one of…
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Woolworth’s – Penn Street / Berkshire Mall
Read more: Woolworth’s – Penn Street / Berkshire MallWoolworth’s 6th and Penn Reading store was opened on September 20th, 1884, under the name, “Woolworth & Knox”. It was just three doors down Penn Street across from 6th street from the successful Pomeroy’s department store and later moved to the Berkshire Mall. Woolworth’s moved to the Berkshire Mall when it opened in 1970, as…
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Shillington High School
Read more: Shillington High SchoolIn 1925, the new Shillington High School was constructed on East Lancaster Avenue on land that was part of the Berks County Almshouse complex. An addition of twelve rooms was completed in 1930 and four more rooms were completed in 1936. Their sports teams were known as the Shillington Speeders. Boys teams adopted the name…
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Easter Sunday – 1957
Read more: Easter Sunday – 1957The last time Easter Sunday fell on April 21st was 1957. Here is a look at that day’s Reading Eagle. Among the egg hunts held for children throughout the city and county to mark the Easter season was the event held by the Berks Athletic Club at it’s home in Rockland Township. The ringing of…
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Reading Public Museum – 1950s
Read more: Reading Public Museum – 1950sMrs. James Woodward enjoys an informal afternoon reading to a group of children on the spacious front lawn of the Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery. The Museum and Gallery house an important collection of art masterpieces, as well as an impressive scientific and historic collection. A particularly appealing feature is the garden surrounding the…
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“The Racers” Screening at the Astor -1955
Read more: “The Racers” Screening at the Astor -1955From Rotten Tomatoes; The CinemaScope process gets a rugged workout in Henry Hathaway’s The Racers. Kirk Douglas stars as an Italian bus driver who dreams of entering the Grand Prix as a world-famous race car driver. Being Kirk Douglas, he achieves his goal, racing in all the major events around the globe. Dedicated to the…
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Freeman’s Esso – Sinking Spring – 1954
Read more: Freeman’s Esso – Sinking Spring – 1954Anyone know where this gas station stood? The addresses have changed since the 50s so it doesn’t pinpoint a location, though I’m thinking on the corner of Penn and Cacoosing Ave’s, where Lesher’s Service Center once stood.
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Carvel Dari-Freeze – Sinking Spring
Read more: Carvel Dari-Freeze – Sinking SpringThis Carvel was located in Sinking Spring, possibly on Penn Avenue in 1954. Does anyone remember the location and can shed light on where exactly it stood?
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Stoudt’s Restaurant
Read more: Stoudt’s RestaurantStoudt’s Restaurant was located at 602 Penn Avenue in Sinking Spring (now the 4000 block and a parking lot). It was opened in 1951 and owned by Edward and Ada Stoudt. Edward’s son, also named Edward, worked for his father starting in 1960, and eventually split off and opened Stoudt’s Black Angus; which is still…
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Furlow’s Food Market
Read more: Furlow’s Food MarketFurlow’s Food Market was located at 3940 Penn Avenue (then 542 Penn Ave) in Sinking Spring. It was owned by Rufus Furlow and Morton Heim. It was opened in late 1927 as the September 14th 1927 Reading Times clipping below foreshadows. I could not find a hard date on when the market closed, though Morton’s obituary…
