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Authored by Society president George Meiser IX |
| Posted 05-06-2003
SIX News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest… \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\ 1- The Society's monthly BCTV program is on WED., May 7th at 7 2- News-Bits archived back a year; see the ones you missed 3- Bed & Breakfast tour this Sunday, 1 to 6, $10 tickets at Society 4- Fleetwood Area Historical Society Open House Sat./Sun.--1 to 4 5- Kutztown Area H.S. Native Am. exhibit Sunday from 2 to 4 6- Benefit auction for N. Stoltzfus House Saturday, May 24th - 9 a.m. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\ 1- TONIGHT, Wed., May 7th, at 7 p.m., is the Historical Society of Berks County's monthly BCTV program. Paul and Kathy Miller of Montello are the hosts. Guests include Amy Woldt who will show views of 10 meritorious city home restorations. Ed Taggert appears to discuss his popular new book, "Bootlegger." Severin Fayerman guests to inform viewers of a special event to be held at Boone- croft, his 18th century Geo. Boone home in Exeter Twp., near Limekiln. http://www.berkshistory.org/realaudio/hill.ram (our tv show) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\ 2- For a considerable time we've wanted to archive the News-Bits so that folks new to the Society's e-zine service can see what appeared in the past, longtime patrons can go back to check on book reviews, photos, or news releases, etc. Often, we receive requests to resend some News-Bits because of an accidental deletion. Your editor had a file going back some years---until a Sept. 4th meltdown of his computer. All was lost. This was mentioned in a previous email. Gail Hoobler from the West Coast area had the News-Bits going back a year and was kind enough to forward them all! MANY THANKS, Gail. So, if you want to see most of what was sent this past year, access:- http://www.berkshistory.org/histsoc/news_archive/ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\ 3- The annual Bed & Breakfast Tour is this Sunday, May 18th, 1 to 6 p.m. Tickets, at $10 each, may be obtained at the Society now---or they may be purchased at the Society on Sunday. For more info, call us at 610 - 375 - 4375. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\ 4- Reminder that this Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11, is the Fleetwood Area Historical Society's eagerly-awaited OPEN HOUSE. For over a year, the group has been working to rearrange the v-a-s-t collection on the basement level of its headquarters at the former Fleetwood School building at 110 West Arch St. Your editor visited the work-in-progress some months ago and was greatly impressed with the new, improved layout. The Open House is free and open to the public. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\ 5- Numerous members of the Historical Society of Berks County attended the opening last weekend of the Native American artifact exhibit at the Kutztown Area Historical Society, in the 1892 Public School Bldg. at Whiteoak St. and Normal Ave. The exhibit is the finest of its type that we've ever seen. If you have any interest whatever in such things, you must see this exhibition. There are photos everywhere of archaeological activity in the Kutztown area---views that you've never seen previously. The pictures alone are worth a visit.  There is one particular cabinet of artifacts that defies belief. Pipes with intriguingly carved faces in the bowl, a stitching needle that must be seen to be believed, and other stone items that are truly singular.  The crown jewel of the exhibit is a specially prepared publication titled "Along the Saucony: The Kutztown Area's Early Inhabitants," a softbound, 8.5 by 11 book of 96 pages, printed on encyclopedia- type paper. The information found within is priceless; it's all new and fresh material. And while there are but 96 pages, these are FULL pages. Indeed, each page in this volume would equal two or three in any other publication.  There are many wonderful photos included. Kudos to Brendan D. Strasser and Karen L. Rauch for their transcribing and editorial efforts that have made this work what it is: worth its weight in gold! It is a companion piece to the venerable D. B. Brunner "Indian book" of 1881, 1898. This will become as eagerly sought after in the years to come. The difference lies in the fact that "Along the Saucony" is destined to be a top rarity a century from now as only 200 have been printed---and fully a third have already been sold, last weekend. "Along the Saucony" can be purchased at the exhibit, which is every Sunday from 2 to 4 ---until the end of September. It's currently available by mail for $29 postpaid. Send checks to Kutztown Area Historical Society at P.O. Box 307, Kutztown, PA 19530. He who hesitates is lost…… And if you're never been inside the Society's Victorian building, this is a perfect opportunity visit this unique structure. There is nothing like it anywhere else in Berks. There never was!  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\ 6- Locals, mark your calendars for Saturday, May 24th, for on this day, the Nicholas Stoltzfus House Preservation Committee will be holding a benefit auction---at the historic 1770-ish Stoltzfus House along the Tulpehocken Creek at what now is designated 1700 Tulpehocken Rd.---a stone's throw from the Country Meadows Retirement complex and the new Kissinger's Lutheran Church. Restoration of the long-neglected Stoltzfus house began a year or two ago, nearly at the point of no return. Miracles have been performed in regard to the restoration now evident. As for the auction on Saturday, May 24th, beginning at 9 a.m., there will be all sorts of donated items, Amish quilts and handi- work, and keepsake artwork done on ancient shingles removed from beneath of old tin roof. Of course, there will be food! This event is open to all. Take this opportunity to visit the site to see what was the homestead of the first Stoltzfus in America. (And you thought they settled in Lancaster!) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ gmmix \\\\\\\\\ end \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ |
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