Category: Places
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Franklin Street Station
Read more: Franklin Street StationThe Franklin Street Station served the railroad from 1930 until 1981 when SEPTA diesel service ceased operations. From 1981 until 2013, the building sat vacant until BARTA acquired and refurbished the building for bus services. The plan was to alleviate overcrowded services at the BARTA Transportation Center located about a block away. –Wikipedia Barta refurbished the building, but it…
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600 Block Penn Street, North Side 1941
Read more: 600 Block Penn Street, North Side 1941Penn Street….600 Block, north side…..READING: – Taken Around 1941, we see parts of 653 to 665 Penn. Faintly and partly visible on the extreme left is Lowe’s Theatre. Hardly visible next door is Robette Hats at 661- Followed by Sterns at 663 and Carlson Hats and Shoes at 665. Notice the railroad gate on the…
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Berks County Christmas – Day 24 – Blinking Pagoda
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 24 – Blinking PagodaMerry Christmas Eve! When I was a child, I was always told to look to the Pagoda on Christmas Eve, and when it blinked, Santa was spotted nearby. That marked bedtime on Christmas Eve for countless children over the decades. According to this WFMZ article, This Reading Eagle article goes a little into the history…
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Berks County Christmas – Day 18 – Remnants of Toyland
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 18 – Remnants of ToylandThe 5’6″ Santa below stood in Pomeroy’s famous 6th floor “Toyland”.Do you remember this Santa from your visits to Toyland as a child? Apparently some Berks County resident inherited the Santa, and was curious on what it was worth, but needs proof that it indeed was from Pomeroy’s Toyland. You can read the dialog from…
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Berks County Christmas – Day 15 – Snowfall
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 15 – Snowfall400 block of Penn Street in the 1940s after a light snow fall. We see Shaffer Furniture Co, a State Liquor Store in the former mansion that was demolished in May 1980, Acme Market, Ramos Brothers Hat Cleaning, Charles Auto Supply, and Sunshine Inn (formerly Barbey’s). Picture from The Passing Scene
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Berks County Christmas – Day 14 – Christmas Tree
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 14 – Christmas TreeFourteenth Day of Christmas – yet another shot of the Christmas tree standing in the center of the circle at 5th and Penn Streets downtown. 1940s
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Berks County Christmas – Day 13 – Whitner’s Display
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 13 – Whitner’s DisplayThirteenth Day of Christmas – If you were walking down Penn Street past Whitner’s in the 1960s, you might see this display in the window.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 12 – 6th and Penn
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 12 – 6th and PennThe Twelfth day of Christmas – Cars pack Penn Street between 5th and 6th streets in the 1950s, as shoppers look for Christmas gifts. If there’s one thing hasn’t changed in the past 60+ years, its the swarm of shopping during the holiday season!
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Berks County Christmas – Day 11 – Shopping Scene
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 11 – Shopping SceneEleventh Day of Christmas – The heat is on, only a few more weeks to finish up your Christmas shopping. Enjoy this 1950s scene of bustling shoppers outside of Pomeroy’s.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 10 – Pomeroy’s Entrance
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 10 – Pomeroy’s EntranceTenth day of Christmas – Pomeroy’s was a staple in downtown Reading for years, but nothing was quite as special as Pomeroy’s at Christmas time.
