Category: West Reading
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Reading Hospital Garden Party
Read more: Reading Hospital Garden PartyThe Reading Hospital Garden Party has been a staple event in June for over 80 years. Though, some might say it is not the event it once was. The purpose of the event is to raise money for a variety of medical causes. Did you ever attend this event? A look into the Garden Party of…
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West Reading Hotel
Read more: West Reading HotelThe West Reading Hotel was built in 1819 on land originally owned by John and William Penn. For 145 years in was a meeting place and social scene for locals and travelers. It stood at 527 Penn Avenue until July of 1964, when it closed its doors for good. A development firm demolished the hotel…
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West Reading High School
Read more: West Reading High SchoolThe West Reading High School building was built in 1914 at the corner of 4th and Franklin Streets. It was the beginning of the secondary education for youth in the Borough of West Reading. It housed 7th-12th grades. In 1923 an addition to the original building was added to accommodate an expanding population. An auditorium,…
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Berkshire Knitting Mills
Read more: Berkshire Knitting MillsIn 1892, “Textile Machine Works” was founded by Ferdinand Thun and Henry Janssen on Cedar Street in Reading. In 1896 they accepted an offer to relocate to Wyomissing, where they were sold a site for $1, in hopes their industry would spur interest in building lots. In 1899 they incorporated as the “Reading Glove and…
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Then & Now, Buttonwood Street Bridge
Read more: Then & Now, Buttonwood Street BridgeThe Buttonwood St. Bridge was built in 1931 to connect the Northwest part of Reading with West Reading, near where Wyomissing Industries were located. $225,000 was donated to the bridge project by Ferdinand Thun and Henry Janssen, whom were owners of the huge textile mills in Wyomissing. They believed this bridge would help their workers who…
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The Vanity Fair Outlets
Read more: The Vanity Fair OutletsThe Vanity Fair Outlets were established first as Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company in Pennsylvania in October 1899. The H.D. Lee Company (now Lee) was acquired by the company in 1969 and the corporate name was changed to VF Corporation, a fictitious name that is not even legally registered, to reflect the more diverse…
