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Posted 07-11-2006 FIVE News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest… EIGHT PHOTOGAPHS included. ====================== ===================== ====================== ===================== 1- Delegation from Society visited Kutztown’s folk festival 2- Berks Liberty Bell event on July 8th impressively attended 3- Berks County’s development chronicled through on-line maps 4- Changing times sample for “The Passing Scene—Vol. 14” 5- Benefit event for BCTV, host of the Society's TV program ====================== ===================== ====================== ===================== 1- On Friday, July 7th, a delegation from the Historical Society of Berks County motored to Kutztown’s (“Penn’a Dutch”) folk festival to observe the general state of things. None had been there for a number of years, We are contemplating a presence there next July…. Seated in the rumble seat of the 1930 Ford cabriolet is Society curator and associate director Joshua K. Blay. Interim Society executive director Sime Bertolet sits by the door. Your editor stands on the right, in the background. While at the festival, a visit was paid to Verna Dietrich’s stand, which proved a real treat. Samples of her various edibles were much enjoyed. On the way home we visited Molltown to try to determine what happened to the hamlet’s stone, one-room schoolhouse. We know as much now as we did a week ago! ========================== ================ 2- This past Saturday, 7th to 9th generation descendants of Berks Sheriff Henry Vanderslice assembled in the Society’s Connor Auditorium for a reinactment of Vanderslice’s reading of the Declaration of Indendence as he had done on July 8, 1776. As an accompanying view indicates, the event drew a record number of people….descendants and the general public. Patty Schearer-Mertz from Nashville coordinated the affair; Richard Paul Witman from Jefferson City (TN) portrayed High Sheriff Vanderslice and read the Declaration. The Berks County Liberty Bell, which has been at the Society since 1929, was temporarily moved outside where descendants were given the opportunity to each ring the bell once---carefully! Some misc. facts relative to the event:- Vanderslice was 50 years old at the time of his reading. Henry and Catherine Vanderslice resided in Exeter Twp. where they reared most of their 10 children. Their 9th child, born in 1771, was named George Washington Vanderslice. Henry’s grandfather, Reynier van der Sluys, emigrated from Holland late in the 1600’s. When naturalized in 1709, he took the name Vanderslice. At the time of the July 8, 1776 reading of the Declaration of Independence in Penn Square, Reading had a total population of slightly under 2000. Vanderslice, as a surveyor, mapped all of Rockland Township, Berks, in 1758. Vanderslice was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where he was interred. Exactly where he lies, in an unmarked grave, remains a mystery. Accordingly, some difficulty ensued as to where to lay a wreath, so such was not done. ===================== ================= 3- Michelle Lynch, editor of the Society’s “Historical Review of Berks County,” forwarded the following URL which gives access to a series of informative maps that show how Berks (and other counties) developed over the years. http://www.pagenweb.org/map/index.html ==================== ================= 4- Representatives from the Society had the occasion to travel to Mohrsville to the former geneal store and post office site…..on June 28th. Directly out of sight, on the right, stood 6 feet of water that covered the railroad tracks there. A picture was taken for The Passing Scene—Vol. 14 to accompany an older view, to show how things change over the years. In the contemporary view we see the aforementioned Sime Bertolet, Joshua Blay, and Society librarian- archivist Barbara Brophy. Distressed that the trash container, all too conspicious up front, detracted from the view, some photo manipulation was applied to lessen its effect. Volume 14 has many photo-insets and now-and-then views to give readers an idea what things look like today. Based on notes received after the previous Passing Scene book, this approach is especially appreciated by members living far from the borders of Berks. ===================== ================== 5- BCTV's 4th Annual Dance Party Telethon Extravaganza will be held this Saturday, July 15, 2006 from 12 noon till 12 midnight at Riveredge. Riveredge is on Route 183, near the airport. The event features Phil Long, the BCTV Dancers, MZ Hammer, and special entertainment---including live bands. New this year is a Quest-for-the-Best Contest-- at 5 pm. $5.00 per person suggested contribution at the door. ALL proceeds benefit Berks Community Television, a non-profit corporation. ============================= ==================== ============================= GMMIX --- END =======

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