Category: Decades
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West Shore Bypass New Exchanges – 1963
Read more: West Shore Bypass New Exchanges – 1963On this day in the Reading Eagle – 1963 Traffic is rolling over the newly opened West Shore Bypass. Several motorists commented on the time saved in using the new road. One reported reaching the center of Reading from the bypass junction at the Philadelphia Pike in seven minutes, a saving of about 13 minutes.…
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On this Day – Dec 1st 1984
Read more: On this Day – Dec 1st 1984A fire rips through the building at 527 Penn Street destroying a photography studio on the upper floors which caved into Ciao Restaurant, a pizza shop, on the main level.
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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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Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969
Read more: Berks Beryllium Lands on Moon – On this day in 1969On November 14th 1969 the second crewed flight to the moon, known as Apollo 12, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It successfully made contact with the moon on this day, November 19th 1969. When it landed, so did small but significant pieces from Berks County. A number of components on the lunar lander…
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Warren Street Bypass | 1959 and Today
Read more: Warren Street Bypass | 1959 and TodayBefore the Reading Motor Inn, or Berkshire Mall, there was sprawling farmland and a highway system that was still being integrated into the rural roads of Spring Township. On this day in 1959 the Warren Street Bypass reopened after the construction depicted below closed the roadway for an extended period. The bridge branching off from…
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Happy Hollow Playground – Wyomissing
Read more: Happy Hollow Playground – WyomissingOn April 10, 1910 a meeting was held in the Borough Hall building at the corner on Penn Avenue and Wyomissing Boulevard. Various speakers spoke about the need for a public recreation area, and it was decided officials would be elected to form a a committee to organize a playground association. On May 16th, 1910…
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Reading’s North West Jr. High 10th Graders | 1942
Read more: Reading’s North West Jr. High 10th Graders | 1942This photo was sent in by reader Katie; found in a home she recently purchased. The photo states the students are the 10th grade class at North West Jr. High school in 1942. Do you recognize anyone in this class photo? At this point any remaining members of this class would be roughly 97-98 years…
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Sunset Diner – Route 422
Read more: Sunset Diner – Route 422Sunset Diner (Now Family restaurant) is located on route 422 in Exeter. It has been in business since at least the late 1950s.According to the ad below they had the best Dutch Cooking. Quite a bold claim!
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Ronco’s Pharmacy
Read more: Ronco’s PharmacyMichael Ronco, RPh first opened his pharmacy in June of 1956. The original pharmacy was located at the corner of Dwight Street and Cleveland Avenue in West Lawn. In 1967, the pharmacy moved to 3311 Penn Avenue in West Lawn, where it remained for nearly half a century. Michael retired from his pharmacy business in…
