Category: Places
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Berks County Christmas – Day 5 – 4th and Penn
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 5 – 4th and PennFifth Day of Christmas – Looking west down toward 4th and Penn Street in the 1950s. Happy shoppers walk around downtown looking for the perfect Christmas gift. The American House building is on the left in the distance.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 4 – Whitner’s Department Store
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 4 – Whitner’s Department StoreFourth Day of Christmas – Whitner’s Department Store, pictured in 1972 in typical Christmas decor. Did you do your christmas shopping at Whitner’s?
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Berks County Christmas – Day 3 – 5th and Penn
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 3 – 5th and PennThird Day of Christmas – 5th and Penn Street Christmas tree circa 1970s in front of Farmer’s National Bank building and the Colonial Trust Company building.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 2 – Snow Scene
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 2 – Snow SceneSecond Day of Christmas – a snow scene, downtown Reading looking toward the east side of 5th and Penn. Whitners Department Store, Farr’s Boot Shop, amongst other stores pictured in the background.
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Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center Square
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center SquareHappy December 1st! Over the course of the next 25 days, we are going to take a trip back in time to old Penn Street Christmas scenes. Check back every day now through Christmas to see a new picture. Fifth and Penn, the town Christmas tree lit up the center circle in town circa 1950s.
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Moore’s Diner & Queen City
Read more: Moore’s Diner & Queen CityIn the 1930’s and ’40s, Walter J. “Bill” Moore operated Moore’s Restaurant chain in Reading. He opened the first location in 1937 at the present site of Reading’s post office. The post office was constructed only two years later in 1939, in which he moved to 421 Penn Street. In addition to the 421 Penn…
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On this Day: October 20th, 1973
Read more: On this Day: October 20th, 1973Reading’s 7th Street isn’t really a street, it’s railroad tracks. And these railroad tracks will cut through the purposed Penn Mall. Edward Sulzberger, the proposed mall developer, has said he would prefer the tracks not be there but can live with them. Meanwhile, other redevelopment officials feel the tracks may become an asset in the…
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Ritz Theatre
Read more: Ritz TheatreThe Ritz Theatre was located at 819 Penn Street, across from the Kissinger-Farmer’s Market. It was originally called the Crescent Theatre when it opened: The Crescent Theatre was opened in 1910. In 1913 it was renamed Princess Theatre. It was re-named Arcadia Theatre in 1928, taking the name of the Arcadia Theatre which had burnt…
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Farmers-Kissinger Market
Read more: Farmers-Kissinger MarketThe Farmers-Kissinger Market sat on the 800 block of Penn Street, taking up the entire block to Cherry St in Reading. It was opened around Memorial day of 1871. In 1930, they opened a law suit against the city of Reading, due to a dispute about the market building a driveway across the sidewalk of…
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Court Street 1940s
Read more: Court Street 1940sThis view from the 1940s, looking east up Court Street in Reading. Pictured to the left is the Courthouse, notice the lights were lit atop the building. In fall 2012, the lights were discontinued due to the rising cost of operations and other factors. There are currently efforts to get the lights relit to their former glory.…
