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SIX News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest…. ============== ============= ============= 1- Amity/Exeter/Robeson Twp. Hist. Society meeting Sun. at 1:30 2- Free Community School-sponsored concert Sunday at 3 p.m. 3- More about the new M.L.Montgomery "history CD-rom" 4- Photo of cemetery at Salem U.C.C. at Spangsville (Oley Twp.) 5- National Archives' fifty million historical files hit the net! 6- Reminder: If you change your Internet provider, apprise us ============== ============== ========= 1- Amity Historical Society's program this Sunday (Apr. 6) is at 1:30---at Fairview Chapel, along 422 in Exeter Twp. Speaker Rick Stevens will focus on the Wanger and Brower families of Unionville, in Union Twp., in far eastern Berks. A video of the stone buildings of Unionville will be shown. Herewith is a rare view of the long-defunct Union Hotel at Unionville. In the previous newsletter mention was made of the rarely seen aqueduct at Unionville. Here is a photo of it; the late historian Earl Heydinger stands on top. Old-timers referred to the water below as Goose Neck Crick. And here is a map showing how to find the aqueduct. The Main St. shown is Main St., Douglassville. Be aware that the building (still standing) right against the north side of the Schuylkill Canal, on the right side of Unionville Rd., is the former old-time canal store that housed "Brower Post Office" ---from 1828 to 1903. It's now a residence. ============= =============== ========= 2- The free, Community School of Music and the Arts concert, that will include works by local composers, will be presented THIS Sunday, April 6th, at 3 p.m., at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Snyder and Lackawanna Sts., in Glenside---a stone's throw from the Glenside School and visible from Schuylkill Avenue. NOTE: Items 1 and 2 have been repeated because of incorrect starting times given in the last News-Bits release. We apologize for the switch---and vow to quit composing newsletters after 1 a.m. ============ ============== ============ 3- A large number of inquiries have been received concerning the new fully-searchable CD-rom of Montgomery's 2-volume 1909 "Biographical and Historical Annals of Berks." Here are two sites to check: http://www.RetrospectPublishing.com/Document/Disc.asp?Disc=3P18 http://www.RetrospectPublishing.com/Document/Disc.asp?disc=b182 =============== ================ ============== 4- In our last newsletter we made mention of the 162 grave-sites that were affected by removal of remains to make way for an addition to Salem U.C.C. , located along Covered Bridge Road in Oley Township. Herewith is a very old photo which shows the portion of the cemetery that was involved. It's the part that runs the length of the side of the building facing us. Incidentally, this photo was taken prior to the 1901 renovation that shifted the "front door" position to the opposite end of the building. Consequently, the front of the church seen above is now the back of the church! ================== ================= ============ 5- Fifty million historical files from the National Archives hit the net! A recent newspaper release told all about it. "Researchers, historians, genealogists, and the plain curious can now use the Internet to check more than 50 million historical records at the National Archives, from Civil War battles to family immigration files. "Previously, people had to either visit the Archives and spend hours combing through documents or request the files by phone and pay to have them mailed. ``Now, people can pull these electronic records at their own convenience,'' said Michael Carlson, electronic and special media records director for the archives. ``It's totally self-service from your desktop.'' "For instance, someone wanting to research a great-grandfather who immigrated to the United States in the 19th century can choose the series of records listed under ``immigrants,'' enter the relative's name and learn on what ship he traveled, the occupation he claimed prior to leaving, the date he arrived in New York, and the country from which he left. "The database draws from the records of 20 federal agencies. Accordingly, some records have typographical errors-- like misspelled names or inaccurate dates. National Archives' officials did not correct any of the information to preserve the records' integrity. "Shirley Langdon Wilcox, former president of the National Genealogical Society, called the new system 'an extremely useful and exciting tool.' " See for yourself:- http://www.archives.gov/aad/ ============ =============== ============== 6- Reminder: If you change your Internet provider, apprise us so that we can update the master file and you can continue to receive News-Bits. ========== gmmix ============= end =========

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