Category: 1960s

  • St. Peter’s Reading Catholic High School

    Before Holy Name, or even Central Catholic, there was another Catholic High School in the city of Reading. St. Peter’s Reading Catholic High, or more well known as just “Reading Catholic High” was located at 225 South 5th Street in Reading. St. Peter’s Reading Catholic High was founded in 1911 and in 1914, the first…

    Read more: St. Peter’s Reading Catholic High School
  • Defunct Schools of Berks

    Berks Nostalgia Presents The Defunct Schools of Berks Collection

    Starting tomorrow, and over the course of the next 9 weeks Berks Nostalgia is going to be publishing articles on each of Berks County’s High Schools that were defunct due to the consolidation of school systems into the larger districts we have come to know today. Most of these schools and the memories that were…

    Read more: Berks Nostalgia Presents The Defunct Schools of Berks Collection
  • Shillington Theatre

    Shillington Theatre

    The Shillington Theatre was located at 29 E Lancaster Ave between Liberty and Brobst St. It opened Sept. 3rd, 1949. It was not until the late 1960’s that the Shillington was able to run movies on Sundays due to the local municipality refusing to repeal and continuing to enforce Pennsylvania’s antiquated “blue laws”. Blue Laws…

    Read more: Shillington Theatre
  • Sinking Spring Borough Hall

    Sinking Spring Borough Hall

    The former Sinking Spring Borough Hall building held stores and a restaurant until the Sinking Spring Bank opened there in 1922, according to Borough of Sinking Spring 100th Anniversary by Paul and Kathy Miller. The borough then bought the building in 1963 from People’s Trust City Bank. The Sinking Spring Borough Hall was dedicated during…

    Read more: Sinking Spring Borough Hall
  • Berkshire Knitting Mills

    On this day March 11th 1962

    Above the fold in the March 11th, 1962, Reading Eagle. Berkshire Knitting Mills Building 202 – better known perhaps as the “clock building” – has been sold to Schoener Candies, Inc., 216 Buttonwood St., it was announced yesterday by BKM. The building faces Reading Avenue in West Reading and will be occupied by the Schoener…

    Read more: On this day March 11th 1962
  • A 100 Year Review of Berks – Happy New Year 2020!

    Happy New Year Berks County! Not only is it a new year but also the beginning of a new decade. As we leave behind the 2010s, let’s look back on the beginning of the last 10 decades, and some of the events that we experienced together as a community during them. The past is important…

    Read more: A 100 Year Review of Berks – Happy New Year 2020!
  • Berkenstock's Store Sinky

    Berkenstock Store – “Berky’s”

    If you grew up in Sinking Spring during the 40s, 50, 60s, or 70s you probably remember Berkenstock’s Store, or just called it, “Berky’s” or “Fern’s”*. It opened August 1st 1941. The people who have mentioned it to me specifically remember it being a candy store and calling it Berky’s. There is absolutely no information…

    Read more: Berkenstock Store – “Berky’s”
  • 4th of July 1969

    4th of July Through the Decades

    1957 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…

    Read more: 4th of July Through the Decades
  • Penn View Motel

    Penn View Motel

    The Penn View Motel was part of a chain of nine establishments called Host Ways Motels. It was built in 1965, and along with the other 8 locations boasted the mid-century modern pyramid. It was located on the block between 2nd and 3rd Streets on Penn Avenue in West Reading. The striking blue pyramid would become a landmark of…

    Read more: Penn View Motel
  • The Road to Nowhere

    The Road to Nowhere. If you are a native of Berks County you have likely heard the phrase. It was used to refer to a stretch of highway that quite literally dead ended. Slowly over the course of a few decades the road was extended to create a complete Route 222, which also interchanged with…

    Read more: The Road to Nowhere
Berks Nostalgia