Wilbur “Lefty” Reeser was born on June 28th 1918 in West Lawn to Herbert and Mary Reeser. Judging from Lefty’s senior yearbook excerpt below, he was an all-around athlete during his adolescence. During his senior year at Wilson he led Berks County in boys basketball scoring and also took the Prexies baseball team to the county title serving as their pitcher and captain.… Read Full Article
There is a dense, dark atmosphere on the windy roads that once led to old sanatoriums that graced the wooded South Mountain below Wernersville. If you have ever driven around up there after nightfall you probably know what I mean. The mountain is rich with history, but the oldest and some of the most frightening surrounds the Grand View Sanatorium.
Grand-View was the oldest health retreat on the mountain, dating back to 1847 when it was founded by Dr.… Read Full Article
The Fairgrounds Square Mall has itself become a ghost. It was just demolished over what will inevitably go down as the infamous Summer of 2020. The mall was on its last leg for years, and it only seemed fitting that it would meet its end in such a year as this one has been. However, if you spent any time working there over the course of its 40 year existence, you may have heard or seen things you couldn’t explain.… Read Full Article
Distelfink Freeze aka Rigg’s Drive In was another 1950s and 60s refreshment establishment and was located near Fleetwood. It was located on route 222 roughly 2 miles southwest of Kutztown.
It was located along route 222 near the old Lincoln Tavern in part of the area torn down to make room for the Kutztown exit northbound at the beginning of the Kutztown bypass.… Read Full Article
Mary’s Dog House Luncheonette was a food establishment in St. Lawrence. Some of the favorite menu items were the hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, steak sandwiches, Bar-B-Cue and of course milk shakes. It was open between 11 a.m. and midnight seven days a week. It was located along Boyertown Road.
Looking at the photos, it seemed like a pretty stereotypical Americana hangout spot for teenagers of the 1950s.… Read Full Article