Monthly TV Show Berks Composers Picture Galleries Articles Historical Review Index Church Record Index Cemetery Record Index Military Record Index Library Information Family History Index View a tiny sampling of the thousands of items on display in our museum Learn how you can become a member of the Historical Society of Berks County Read breaking stories concerning Berks County history. Authored by Society president George Meiser IX

FOUR News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest.... ===================================== 1- Unusual matchlock on eBay shows fake Hotel Penn view 2- Wm. Penn Memorial Fire Tower to be used New Year’s Eve 3- Historical Society closed Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1 4- Tues., Dec. 24 is PA railroad day on PA Cable Network ====================================== 1- Currently on auction at eBay is a rare matchlock that shows Hotel Penn, northwest corner of 6th and Penn, c. 1907. That the matchsafe is rare is evidenced by the fact the bid at present is $171! To access the eBay site and to see the illustration, access http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=748442375 It’s interesting to observe that the picture is a fake in that it clearly depicts a 5-story building, which is never was. It had four stories. In the 1950s, when the structure was known as the Milner Hotel, the top three stories were removed due to structural problems. The building dated, in its rebuilt form, from the 1840s, at which time it was known as the Keystone House. For a period it was the Pennsylvania House--and then the Hotel Penn. The rear of the structure once housed the Keystone Hall or Keystone Opera House. Entrance was from Court Street. Indeed, the doorway to the upper-stories auditorium can still be seen facing Court Street--along with its well-worn brown- stone first step. The Keystone Opera House’s management brought the best theatre entertainment available in its era. Many programs of the period are on file in the archives of the Historical Society. The famous Booths appeared here, and Mark Twain gave a well-received lecture in 1870. It is probable that the greatest attraction ever to appear here--based on public reaction--was Blind Tom Bethune, an African-American autistic-savant pianist (1849-1908). Tom was 19 when he played in Reading in 1869. As he was blind, it learned music entirely by ear. He could play a piece after hearing it but one time. He converted sounds to music, such as his famous "The Rainstorm" composition which he played at the Reading concert. Another that fascinated audiences was "Sewing Machine." The show-stopper always was when he’s play one piece with his left hand, another with his right, and then sing an altogether different tune--all at the same time. ================================== 2- We have been informed that the 1939 William Penn Memorial Fire Tower will be put in full use on New Year’s Eve so that the fireworks to be set off on Mount Penn can be fully monitored. =================================== 3- The library and museum of the Historical Society of Berks County will be closed... Tuesday, Dec. 24 Wednesday, Dec. 25 Tuesday, Dec. 31 Wednesday, Jan.1, 2003 ================================== 4- On Tuesday, December 24th, the Pennsylvania Cable Network will present an all-day Pennsylvania railroad-a-thon. Here is the schedule: 7:00 a.m. Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern Railroad (Kempton is in Berks.) 7:45 a.m. Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad 8:45 a.m. Norfolk Southern Freight Yard 9:15 a.m. PA Railroad Museum 10:00 a.m. Strasburg Railroad 11:00 a.m. Kiski Junction Railroad 12:00 p.m. Steamtown (shops and museum) 1:00 p.m. Steamtown (tour train) 2:00 p.m. Conrail Railroad Cars 3:00 p.m. East Broad Top Railroad 4:00 p.m. Weaver Model Trains 5:00 p.m. Altoona Railroad Museum 6:00 p.m. Tioga Central Railroad 7:00 p.m. New Hope and Ivyland Railroad 8:00 p.m. PA Railroad Museum 9:00 p.m. Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad 9:45 p.m. Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad 10:45 p.m. GE Locomotives 11:45 p.m. Weaver Model Trains 12:45 a.m. East Broad Top Railroad The Pennsylvania Cable Network, indicated in tv guides as PCN, is available nearly everywhere in the state--on cable. Set your VCR’s! ============== gmmix ===== end =====

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