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Posted 08-26-2006 10 NEWS-BITS of Reading-Berks historical interest.... FIVE photos attached. ================== ================= ========== ================== ================= ========== 1- Explanation for no News-Bits since July 11th 2- Commentary on upcoming Passing Scene--Volume 14 3- ORDER FORM for Passing Scene--Volume 14 4- "Historical Review" about ready to go to press 5- Death of Dr. William W. Hummel, Sr. 6- Landmark Belleman's Church event tomorrow (Sun.) 7- Amity Twp. landmark to be removed s-o-o-n 8- Amity (Area) Historial Society meeting tomorrow (Sun.) 9- Joanna Furnace Festival to include rare relic-replica 10- 3 Centuries of Berks Hist. Soc. bus and auto tour coming 11- Movie Madness, a major event in the Reading area, will be addressed in the NEXT News-Bits release. ================== =============== ============== ================== =============== ============== 1- Calls and notes have been received at the Society from News-Bits receivers asking whether they've been deleted from the master list, as no "Society emails" have been forthcoming lately. No one has been deleted! Your editor has been working 12 to 18 hours a day on the upcoming Passing Scene book. In order to focus totally on the task at hand, preparing informative captions for some 300 photos, all available hours of the day--7 days a week--are being devoted to Volume 14. As most News-Bits dispatches require in excess of four hours to compile and prepare, there have been no dispatches since July 11. Additionally, at this writing there are some 800 incoming emails that remain unchecked. Sincere apologies to those who may have written and not as yet received a reply. ======================== ============================ 2- Working on The Passing Scene—Volume 14 has been an interesting experience in a nunber of regards. For starters, in spite of a determined effort to limit the length of captions, photo identifications in the last two volumes have become increasingly more comprehensive. In the upcoming book, the “cut line” for Weavertown’s (a.k.a. Brumfieldsville’s) Dr. Kitchen contains 2,186 characters, and the count for iron-master Horatio Trexler is 1,069. Gratitude must be extended to a number of people who've made prize photos available for inclusion in Volume 14. For starters, special thanks is extended to history-buff Rev. Willis K. Heckler of Topton for making it possible to lay hands on a photo collection of rare views taken by Rev. Alfred J. Herman in the late 1890’s. Not only was the good Reformed pastor an excellent lensman who mastered the art of “flash-light pictures,” he captured scenes in his era and locality that are unique, in the true sense of the word. Around 20 choice Herman pictures appear in Volume 14. Glenn Wenrich of Muhlenberg Township provided another cache of Schuylkill Canal views that are one- of-a-kind. At this juncture, Glenn is one of the leading authorities on the Schuykill Canal as it existed in our area. David Remaley of Kutztown, one of the country’s most devoted and determined postcard collectors, lent his collection and knowledge of eastern Berks to the compilation. We ventured forth to the hinterlands on field trips to take contemporary photos and gather vital information. Our trips to the Sally Ann Furnace area led to a discovery of major consequence. Dave’s crystal- clear views of Stony Run (Wessnersville) and Greenwich Twp. sites add measurably to the upcoming volume. Chris Papadakis of West Lawn, a Berks memorabilia collector and dealer who advertises in our Review, liberally contributed the best of his holdings to the effort. Most notable is a series of twenty stereo views taken around 1900 of sites of major historical significance. In my estimation, the Schuylkill River views and one memorable shot of Reading’s landmark Packerack Hotel (3rd and Bingaman) are alone worth the price of the book--based on eBay prices! Robert Bruce and Betty Mc Lean lent several albums of 1910-era Amity-area photos taken by Bruce’s dad. One showing a local limekiln equipped with what looks like a ore-car is of singular significance. Little appears anywhere in print about three Greenwich Township hamlets, all but walking distance apart. The folks at Dietrich’s Meats and Country Store at Krumsville— Verna, Dawn, and Marlin—located information and choice photos dealing with Grimsville, Krumsville, and Klinesville. We wonder how many readers know that in the 1950’s there was a Krumsville Drive-In Theatre. This foregoing recitation is risky in that many others, thus far unnamed, have provided photos and materials that are both rare and visually interesting. On behalf of the Society, we thank them all. We end this segment with gratitude to Larry Soltys of East Reading who, in 1975, compiled a lengthy article detailing the salient facts of what is remembered in local history as “the Bissinger Tragedy.” His complete research paper appears in Volume 14. The chronology begins at 611 Penn, continues along the Union Canal in the Gring’s Mill area, and ends at a five-grave plot in Charles Evans Cemetery. Larry’s research is illustrated with a dozen views, the rarest of which is the only known photo, taken in 1889, showing then-still-standing “cross cut” bridge over the Tulpehocken—built for canal mules to cross the creek--a short distance above the late-lamented Bushong Covered Bridge. In The Passing Scene--Vol. 14, this picture fills an entire page. =========================== ================== 3- ORDER form for PASSING SCENE—Volume 14: (Print out and enclose with your order) Mail to: Historical Society of Berks County 940 Centre Avenue Reading, PA 19601 Our phone number is 610 – 375 - 4375 (Ask for Gloria) Our fax number is 610 – 375 - 4376 Name_________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Phone number (________) _______________________________ Email address __________________________________________ Passing Scenes picked up at the Society are $45, even money. Passing Scenes sent by mail are $49.50. They will be sent out in a well-padded envelope with “Delivery Confirmation.” We will see that you receive the books you order! Delivery of The Passing Scene—Vol. 14 is expected to be at the Society the first week in November. If it comes in earlier, we will mail the book(s) immediately--if you have remitted the $49.50 amount. Reserve ____ copies of Passing Scene—Vol. 14 (A limited number of Vol. 10’s and Vol. 13’s remain for sale at the same price-scale as Volume 14.) No orders can be accepted without payment due to bookkeeping considerations. Books are reserved in your name upon receipt of payment. VISA _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ Exp: ___/____ MASTERCARD _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ Exp: ___/____ Signature: _____________________________________________ Purchaser paid (by mail_____ ) (by phone_____) (in cash_____) ======================= ============================= 4- Society editor Michelle Lynch informs us that the FALL issue of the "Historical Review of Berks County" is about to go to press. FIVE major articles scheduled to appear in the Fall issue are as follows.... [included is a sample of each article] (1) My Pennsylvania Dutch Roots: How Finding a Hausman Coverlet, Made by My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, Led to a Passion for the Past ---by Rosemary Hauseman [My father, Irvin Hauseman, loved to tell stories, but there is an important one he never told me. Surely he knew that his great-grandfather was the last of a well-known dynasty of weavers. According to an undated article by Wayne E. Homan from the Reading Eagle, Hausmans, living in Lobachsville, “took up the trade of weaving Pennsylvania Dutch coverlets,” some of which can be found in the Reading Museum, the Landis Valley Farm Museum, the Hershey Museum, and theMetropolitan Museum of Art.] (2) How Brecknock Was Named---by Evans C. Goodling, Jr. [Brecknock Township, a rural township of farms and woodland in Berks County, was established in 1741 as a political subdivision of Lancaster County. It probably received its name at the suggestion of Thomas Edwards, a Welsh immigrant who was one of the first county commissioners of Lancaster County. He was a resident of that part of Chester County from which Lancaster County was formed in 1729. The township was named after Breconshire, or Brecknockshire, an inland county in south Wales, in western Britain. (3) Benjamin Franklin and His Berks County Connections ---by Beulah B. Fehr [Benjamin Franklin is, perhaps, the best-loved of our “Founding Fathers.” The year 2006 marks the commeration of his 300th birthday, and Americans have responded with a year-long celebration. Franklin’s contributions to our way of life are numerous. In his eighty-four-year-long life he was a printer, publisher, writer, statesman, diplomat, philosopher, political thinker, soldier, businessman and public servant. ... [Within a year of his return from London, Franklin organized his secret society of artisans and tradesmen known as the Junto or Leather Apron Club. ....... [Four of the ten Junto members--including Nicholas Scull, William Parsons, Thomas Maugridge and Robert Grace-- owned property or had other ties to Reading and Berks County.] (4) A Reading T-1 at Tacoma --by The Rev. Philip K. Smith [Now that Reading T-1 No. 2100 has arrived at Tacoma, Washington, for excursions on the Golden Pacific Railroad, this author takes great pleasure in informing readers of the first of his favorite class of steam locomotives, built in the Reading Shops in 1945, and with ties to the largest manufacturers of "O" Gauge trains. ..... [In modern parlance, the Reading was a regional railroad comprising some 1100 miles. Its genesis dawned with the Erie Canal, which bypassed Niagara Falls and met the Hudson River at Albany. That canal provided direct access between Lake Erie and New York Harbor. In response, Philadelphia businessmen competed by constructing the Schuylkill Canal from the Quaker City to Pottsville and Port Carbon, a distance of 106 miles. Discovery of anthracite coal, north of Pottsville, provided 200,000 tons of annual canal coal traffic by 1832.] (5) The Governor, The First Union Volunteer, and The Rebel Colonel: Alexander Ramsey, Aaron Greenawalt, and Thomas Fister ---by Barry D. Adams [The phrase "it’s a small world" could apply to the following account. This is the story of three Pennsylvania-born men for whom the American Civil War was the centerpiece of their lives. Their experiences ran parallel, sometimes overlapped, and had points where they intersected. Each man met, knew, or had his life depend on the other. .... [The area around Kutztown and northeastern Berks County figured significantly in the story of each. Two survived the war while the third experienced its worst battles and died from wounds he received in the most famous battle in the war. One had a resume that ranks with the most impressive in American history: Mayor, Governor, Congressman, Senator, Secretary of War, and more. .... [Another pursued a professional naval career but had a dramatic turn of events that challenged his personal values, family commitments, and patriotism. The story of the third may seem more mundane. He was raised as a farm boy, struck out on his own to the American frontier, took up the trade as a miller, raised a family and then was confronted with war....] ========================== ================== 5- It's with regret and sadness that we note the death on Thursday, Aug. 24th, of Dr. William W. Hummel, Sr., retired professor at Albright College (1988) and editor of our Historical Review of Berks County--from 1969 to 1973. Dr. Hummel passed away in St. Joseph Medical Center after an 11-month illness. During his 28 years at Albright, he did much to en- gender an interest in local history. His students regularly prepared papers relating in some way to Reading-Berks. Perhaps his great contribution to local history was compilation of an exhaustive index to M. L. Montgomery's 1886 Berks history. He really was a masterwork. At the tme of his death, he was still at work on his "Chronology of Berks County History." A memorial service will be held on Sat., Sept. 9th at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Fifth and Franklin, Reading. ======================== ================= 6- The following message was received from Society member Rev. Willis Heckler: Sunday services at Bellemans Union Church, Sun., August 27, will be conducted in their 1815 church bldg.-- at 7:45 & 10:15 a.m. Old Belleman's is a genuine landmark. Everything in the church is original---straight-back pews, no electricity, hand-pumped organ, etc. It is neat. They also have a Pa Dutch dialect service in the old church on Sept 30 at 2:30 pm. There is a chicken & waffles dinner on that day also. ========================== ==================== 7- Along Route 662 in Amity Township, at Toll Gate Rd., stands a frame building erected during the Civil War era, one of two toll-houses that provided revenue for the long-defunct Yellow House- Douglassville Turnpike. The building is slated for removal to make way for modern construction east of the site. There is hope that rather than demolition, the structure will be dismantled and relocated. In any event, those wishing to take a photo of the toll-house at its original location are urged to move quickly. ========================== =============== 8- Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Fairview Chapel---along Route 422 and Chapel Road, in Exeter Township---the Amity Historical Society will hold its monthly meeting. The topic of discussion is the aforementioned toll-house near Douglassville, noted in #7 above. For the record, many years ago a survey was made for a railroad that was to be constructed between OLEY VILLAGE and Douglassville. The r.r. never materialized, but the surveyed right-of-way---between the Yellow House Hotel and what is now 422 at Douglassville---became the short-lived turnpike. ===================== =============== 9- The 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Hay Creek Festival, occurs September 8, 9 & 10. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fleming ‘Boys’ Recreate Rare Engine.... Fourteen years in the making. In 1991, brothers John & George Fleming were following with great interest the archaeological excavations at Joanna Furnace, near Morgantown. This cold blast furnace was in operation from 1791 to 1898 and after many years of abandonment the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (HCVHA) became the new owners of this historical treasure during the 70’s. Excavations were taking place at the furnace site almost every weekend and one of the many discoveries were the remains of huge bolts and cylinders from what they believed was an engine. John & George Fleming were encouraged by the findings and made their way to the library of the Association in search of patent gazettes on engines from the 1800’s. Gradually the information came together with the discovery that a major engineering change took place at the furnace in the later years of operation with a transition from the Colonial cold blast system to hot blast. Captured hot blast gases from the furnace stack were mixed with fresh air and pumped by a P.L. Weimer blower- engine into the base of the bosh, at 800 to 900 degrees, quadrupling the production of iron. The Weimer engine was powered by steam from a separate boiler system, which also utilized the hot gases from the furnace. The engine was manufactured by the Weimer Machine Works in Lebanon PA. Now with basic dimensions in hand and some aged sketches of the engine, John & George would spend the next four years developing engineering prints with specific measurements related to cylinder bore, piston stroke and cast housing details. Final plans were developed to re-create a 1/8 scale-working model. The original engine was 15ft high, 9 feet wide, and 17 feet long with estimated engine weight of 4.5 - 5 ton, resting on a casting base of 1-2 ton in weight. The Fleming Brothers were a perfect fit for this special project. Raised in Geigertown, just a few miles from Joanna Furnace, the talents and skills of their father and his patient instructions in their years of youth, would set in motion a lifetime of devotion to mechanical trades. They were surrounded by everything mechanical with a sawmill, wheelwright shop, picket fence mill and cider press on the family farm. Father Fleming taught John how to repair the Model T and this would prove beneficial for his mechanical test to join the Army many years later. Both brothers would serve their country during WWII shipping out and returning home within days of each other. George was always fond of wood and could always be found tinkering with small wooden waterwheels, which would be tested in the creek, which ran through the mill. Eventually, George would become a journeyman, experienced in pattern making for metal casting molds, at Birdsboro Corp. in Birdsboro PA. Now the engine would be built. John finalized the technical drawings; George would create the molds. But the greatest challenge of this project was now at hand. Who would pour the cast iron? The Cattail Foundry was discovered in nearby Lancaster County and chosen to pour the iron castings. Finally, engine parts were machined and finished for assembly and numerous engine details were completed. Fourteen years later in the fall of 2005, the engine was complete and presented to the membership of the HCVHA. Powered by compressed air the miniature engine whispered along with a gentle chug, chug, chug. In good humor the brothers bantered a bit during the presentation but genuine smiles of satisfaction were expressed as they revealed this unique mechanical accomplishment. John, 82, and George, 86, are members of the HCVHA and will be demonstrating this rare engine during the Hay Creek Festival, September 8, 9 and 10. You can also see daily metal casting demon- strations with some newly designed molds crafted by George Fleming in addition to traditional crafts, food, children’s activities and entertainment. Festival hours are 10a.m. to 5p.m. daily with free shuttle and parking. Adult admission is $8 and children 12 and under are free. Visit haycreek.org for all the details or call 610-286-0388 The Hay Creek Festival is hosted by the Hay Creek Valley Historical Assoc. and located on the grounds of Joanna Furnace, located 3 miles N. of Morgantown PA on Route 10. BACKGROUND on Joanna Furnace MORGANTOWN, PA Buildings collapsed, overgrowth dense –all hardly recognizable in 1975 as Historic Joanna Furnace. Then, after seventy years of neglect the once- thriving iron plantation had someone interested in bringing it back to life. Local folks with an interest in history had journeyed to the site numerous times over the years, some with picnic baskets in hand, others simply exploring and caught up in the imagination of the past. Nearby in Geigertown, a few families came together in 1976 with a simple desire to showcase the rich history of the region and preserve the crafts of the past. They planned their first festival at the local fire company. Posters were printed, and word of mouth brought together hundreds of curious spectators. The group wanted to continue having festivals but a permanent home would help the cause. Next came word that Bethlehem Steel wanted to vacate the Joanna Furnace site near Morgantown because of the tax burden. The recently formed Hay Creek Valley Historical Association, with ten founding signatures, responded quickly and ownership of the site was now in the hands of this fledgling organization. Weekend after weekend, volunteers cleared the dense overgrowth and trees that had overtaken the site and gradually the buildings were revealed. The furnace stack was intact, but and the Mule Stable, Office/Store and Blower Engine House were in need of repair and stabilization. Reconstruction of buildings began with the Blacksmith Shop in 1984 and the Charcoal Building in 1986. The first Hay Creek Festival was officially held at Joanna Furnace in 1979. Today, Joanna Furnace is being rediscovered. Thousands of visitors have attended festivals over the past thirty years, toured the historic buildings and absorbed the rich history of the site, leaving with a better understanding of what some have called ‘the Jewel of Southern Berks.’ The Hay Creek Valley Historical Association, with five hundred members, looks to the future with plans for a Visitor’s Center and complete recon- struction of all the furnace complex buildings. On September 8, 9 and 10, the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Hay Creek Festival will take place with hundreds of volunteers bringing to life the traditional crafts of America, as well as foods, like open-fire kettle soup, apple butter and Schnitz un Knepp. The Charcoal Barn Museum with new pinpoint lighting will present never seen before artifacts and products of Joanna Furnace. The public can experience early American life at its best with living history presentations of glass blowing, quilt making, grain threshing, sawmilling, shingle milling and 19th-century square herbal gardening. Metal casting demonstrations will give you a first hand experience of how molten iron was poured and shaped into the products of Joanna. Children can enjoy hands-on activities or join the campfire chats of the Civil War Encampment. Antique cars and tractors will parade daily. The Mechanical Technology Building will be showcasing numerous vintage working equipment demonstrations, including the recently installed line shaft, powered by a hit ‘n miss engine. Great traditional music, including folk, Celtic, old timey and bluegrass will be performed daily on Bull’s Stage. Attractions are presented daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. The shuttle runs from 7 AM to 6 PM. Parking is free. Adult admission is $8.00 and children 12 and under are free. For more information visit www.haycreek.org or call 610 - 286 - 0388 =========================== =================== 10- Join the Historical Society of Berks County on Saturday, October 7, 2006, for the annual Three Centuries in Berks Historic Property Tour, formerly hosted by the Berks County Conservancy. This year, we will explore parts of Brecknock, Caernarvon, and Robeson Townships. You will enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings in this area of our county historically known as “The Forest.” First settled by Europeans in the 1720s, this region is rich in its built environment. A wealth of historic structures, representative of three centuries, will be seen. (PHOTO) One of the sites to be visited is unknown to most people, even local history buffs. Those on the tour will be given the opportunity to go inside this meeting house and check the old burial ground across the road. MORE about this tour will be forthcoming in News-Bits. Information can also be found in the current Members' Update, mailed out about two weeks ago. =========================== ===================

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