Category: Towns
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Fleetwood’s Hand Grave
Read more: Fleetwood’s Hand GraveA follower directed me to the small, bizarre “hand stone” that sits in Fleetwood Cemetery along Arch and Laurel Streets. The writing on the stone has worn away in the 140 years since it was inscribed. However, with a little digging I was able to crack the mystery of J. Monroe Kelchner’s hand grave. According…
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Liberty Fire Co | Reading Area Firefighters Museum | 5th & Laurel
Read more: Liberty Fire Co | Reading Area Firefighters Museum | 5th & LaurelThe Liberty Fire Company was established on January 21st, 1854 to protect the southern section of the City. At that first meeting the members voted to name it the “Wyomissing Fire Company”, but at the next week’s meeting they changed it to “Liberty”. The City of Reading quickly purchased the lot on the southeastern corner…
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History behind the charred remains of 113-117 North 5th Street
Read more: History behind the charred remains of 113-117 North 5th StreetIn the early morning hours of September 3rd a three-alarm fire ravaged the two buildings north of the old Berkshire Hotel at 113-117 North Fifth Street. The cause of this fire is still under investigation, but there are reports that people heard an explosion at the rear of the two structures just before it began.…
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Farmers National Bank Building
Read more: Farmers National Bank BuildingOrganized in 1814, the Farmers National Bank was Reading’s oldest and longest lasting financial institution. In 1817 they purchased the old Federal Inn which was located at 445 Penn Street. The Federal Inn was constructed in 1763 by Adam Witman and was one of Reading’s first taverns. President George Washington spent one night there on…
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Liever Building, 439 Penn Street
Read more: Liever Building, 439 Penn StreetNext on the Penn Street chopping block to demolish is the Liever building, which is located at 437 Penn Street in Reading. Due to its prime location in the square, we can be certain the site was one of the earliest settled in the city. In the 18th century the Hiester House, home of Joseph…
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431-449 Penn Street; Its fate, my thoughts
Read more: 431-449 Penn Street; Its fate, my thoughtsThis is my attempt at summarizing the saga that has been the city’s ownership of the properties on the northwest corner of 5th and Penn. Specifically, 431-449 Penn Street, which was comprised of 5 buildings of historic nature located within the Callowhill Historic District in the City of Reading. The City purchased these structures in…
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Hoch High Cemetery
Read more: Hoch High CemeteryIn the shadow of the Western Berks Landfill lies the Hoch Cemetery. Situated in Cumru Township, on High Hill – a peninsula made by the bend in the Schuykill River. This 400 acres was once part of Poplar Neck Farm, which was established by Samuel Hoch in 1745. Samuel was the grandson of Rudolph Hoch…
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Key to the City of Reading
Read more: Key to the City of ReadingToday is my 8th wedding anniversary and my husband always tries to stay on the traditional “theme” by year. This year is bronze, and I had been eyeing this Reading “Key to the City” on Ebay for a few weeks. It was listed at $250, which was more than I was willing to pay. Luckily…
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Sinking Spring History
Read more: Sinking Spring HistoryThis is the first article in a “Towns of Berks” series which I will be tackling this summer to look more in-depth into Berks County’s communities. This is an overview of Sinking Spring History. Sinking Spring is a borough located in south-western Berks County. It sits along major roadway route 422, also called Penn Avenue,…
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Staufer Building – 62 S. 6th Street
Read more: Staufer Building – 62 S. 6th StreetThe Staufer Building at 62 South 6th Street was constructed in Romanesque-style in 1897 by William M. Staufer. A large portion of the upper floors were devoted to the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, who utilized the space to house young unemployed women who needed safe accommodations. A November 17th, 1897 Reading Eagle article about the…
