Category: Towns
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Train Derailment Wyomissing
Read more: Train Derailment WyomissingPhotos Courtesy of Jere Stamm On Sunday morning, December 4th, 1977, 26 cars of a Conrail freight train derailment occured in Wyomissing right near the intersection of Clayton and Penn Avenue. The train was bound for Bethlehem from Harrisburg, and was carrying coal. Workmen this morning were still clearing away the tangled metal and spilled…
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Woolworth’s – Penn Street / Berkshire Mall
Read more: Woolworth’s – Penn Street / Berkshire MallWoolworth’s 6th and Penn Reading store was opened on September 20th, 1884, under the name, “Woolworth & Knox”. It was just three doors down Penn Street across from 6th street from the successful Pomeroy’s department store and later moved to the Berkshire Mall. Woolworth’s moved to the Berkshire Mall when it opened in 1970, as…
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Shillington High School
Read more: Shillington High SchoolIn 1925, the new Shillington High School was constructed on East Lancaster Avenue on land that was part of the Berks County Almshouse complex. An addition of twelve rooms was completed in 1930 and four more rooms were completed in 1936. Their sports teams were known as the Shillington Speeders. Boys teams adopted the name…
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Earl Building – 525 Penn St
Read more: Earl Building – 525 Penn StThe M. J. Earl Building pictured around the turn of the 20th century at 523/525 Penn Street in Reading. The Earl Building was built around 1880 on the site of famous Revolutionary War Doctor Bodo Otto’s home and practice. It appears there were a few offices inside. One was home to an office of Prudential…
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Classical Record Shop of Reading – 1960
Read more: Classical Record Shop of Reading – 1960The Classical Record Shop of Reading has in addition to its large and diversified stock of high fidelity and stereophonic records, the outstanding Pilot stereophonic consoles and components. Mr. William Breitegam, manager, is seen showing a groupo of new recordings to Mrs. Carl L. N. Erdman. These fine selections may be obtained by calling Franklin…
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Reading Indians Night Game – 1960s
Read more: Reading Indians Night Game – 1960sIt’s opening day for the Reading Fightin Phils! Which means it’s time for a flashback to early 1960s Municipal Field, home of the Reading Indians. In 1952, the Wilkes-Barre Indians, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians relocated to Reading to become the Reading Indians. The Reading Indians played at Municipal Memorial Stadium for the next decade, capturing the league title in…
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Dempsey’s Dutch Boy Stolen
Read more: Dempsey’s Dutch Boy StolenOn this day, April 7th 1990 the Dempsey’s Dutch Boy statue was stolen from it’s location on the 5th Street Highway in Muhlenberg. The 6-foot, 250-pound Dempsey’s Dutch boy statue outside the restaurant at Fifth Street Highway and Bellevue Avenue was lifted right out of its shoes about 3 a.m. Wednesday. The “victim”, however, apparently…
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The Park Theatre – 1016 Penn St
Read more: The Park Theatre – 1016 Penn StThe Park Theater opened November 11, 1926, and it was closed by a fire on May 19, 1978. The theater was demolished the following year. James S. Maurer operated the theater as a X-rated movie and live burlesque house, and in 1964 he was arrested along with two strippers in a raid by the Reading…
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Reading Hospital Photo Mystery
Read more: Reading Hospital Photo MysteryI got an email asking for help to solve the mystery of where the below photo was taken. The photo is of the back of the Reading Hospital around the time it was built in the mid-late 20s. I checked out a few aerial photos I have of the area from 1927 and 1940. Due…
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Paul’s Men’s Shop
Read more: Paul’s Men’s ShopPaul’s was a men’s clothing store at 527 Penn St in the 50s and 60s. Couldn’t find a date on when it closed. Today the building is occupied by a pizza place.
