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Authored by Society president George Meiser IX |
| Posted 12-04-2006
16 News-Bits of Reading-Berks historical interest.... ......and EIGHT illustrations ========================= ================== ========================= ================== ========================= ================== 1- Society's monthly BCTV program this WEDNESDAY, Dec. 6 2- FIRST THURSDAY program to feature Charles Adams III 3- SATURDAY, Dec. 9 is the first P.S. Vol. 14 autographing session 4- SUNDAY, Dec. 10 is Centre Park Historic District's HOUSE TOUR 5- SUNDAY, Dec. 10 is the Hendel House HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE 6- TUESDAY, Dec. 12 --a free "Valley Voices" concert at Society at 1:30 7- Eye-catching Christmas-light display along Kutztown Road 8- Watch our BCTV program anywhere on Earth at any time! 9- Society's CYBER gift shop has been updated 10- Breiningers' two extraordinary Christmas trees 11- Exhibition Hall reopened with display of OUR OWN history 12- Where is this home located? Amity? 13- And where is this log cabin located? 14- NEW and large inventory of local pottery in Society's gift shop 15- HELP! Looking for a poem/story about LUCAS STOUDT 16- Send author Pat Blackwell a card; she'd recovering..... ========================== ================= ========================== ================= ========================== ================= 1- The Society's BCTV program is THIS Wednesday, Dec. 6th at 7 p.m. In addition to old-time photos, we'll have two fine guests with information on Centre Park's Annual HOUSE TOUR and the Hendel House HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE. You still have time to see the Nov. show: www.berkshistory.org/media/hill.ram =========================== ================= 2- The FIRST THURSDAY program this coming Thurs. morning (December 7th) features Society Trustee Charles Adams III as the speaker. Most reading this note know that Charlie is a WEEU radio personality and author of many publications. Charlie's topic is "Baseball & Boo," choice tidbits drawn from two of his recent books....."Tales from Baseball Town" and "Haunted Berks County." Breakfast refreshments at 8:30; program begins at 9 a.m. Come and bring lots of friends! Open to the general public. ======================== ================ 3- This Saturday, Dec. 9th, is the first of two "Passing Scene--Volume 14" autograph sessions.... starting at 9:30. Books will be signed from 9:30 to 12......and from 1 to 3:30. The hour recess from 12 to 1 is a genuine necessary as both Gloria and I are dealing with the effects of advanced carpel-tunnel syndrome. (Aren't computers wonderful!) A 2nd autographing session will be held the following Saturday, December 16th, during the same hours. Volumes 14, 13, and 10 will be available for purchase. 
===================== =================== 4- This coming SUNDAY, Dec. 10th, is the Centre Park Historic District's annual HOUSE TOUR---from 1 to 6 p.m. Tickets at $12 each are available at a booth in Centre Park, opposite Hendel House, at Centre Avenue (Route 61) and Douglass. Eight houses will be open for view. The tour ends at the Historical Society where the customary refreshments will be served. ======================== ============= 5- This coming SUNDAY, Dec. 10th, a special HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE will take place in Hendel House, 746 Centre Avenue, Reading. Open to the general public. Free admission. Hours: 1 to 6 p.m. Featuring...quality handmade gifts and unique treasures in all price ranges. Hendel House---with its 10 rooms and 5 bathrooms--- was built in two stages....in 1877 and 1897. ===================== ================ 6- The TUESDAY thereafter, on Dec. 12th at 1:30, there's a free musical program in the Society's Connor Auditorium. Titled "Valley Voices," we'll be privileged to hear the Schuylkill Valley High School choir under the direction of Michael Buterbaugh. ======================== ============== 7- Hillside Playground---two blocks "up the hill" from North 13th Street---just south of Reading High---has an astounding display of holiday lights. There are thousands in all sorts of arrangements. If you've never seen this outdoor spectacle, it's certainly worth the effort to get there during the Christmas season. Motoring along Kutztown Road, in the 2900 block, we were much taken with the light display seen below. In truth, the photo doesn't do justice to the effort that went into all has been put up. 
===================== ================ 8- If you haven't checked our Internet-accessed BCTV program in recent times, be aware the picture quality is much improved. www.berkshistory.org/media/hill.ram ==================== ================ 9- New items have been put into our Internet gift shop. www.berkshistory.org/giftshop ==================== ================ 10- A recent visit to the Taylor Mansion at Robesonia--to see Lester and Barbara Breininger-- gave us the opportunity to see two of the three Christmas trees they've erected. All are something special. Below is Barbara (Mrs. Lester) Breininger standing beside the largest chicken-feather tree we've ever seen. This unique antique specimen surely is one of the very few such trees of this size to survive. 
Another of Barbara's unique trees is this cotton- wrap specimen adorned with "live candles" and an unusual array of balls. 
===================== =============== 11- A newly installed display---"Year of the Museum" --- in Exhibition Hall at Society headquarters at 940 Centre Ave. features artifacts, photos, etc. that focus on the history of our Society, which dates back to 1869. Among the photos are some interior and exterior views of our two buldings, previous to our present structure, which dates to 1928 / 9. Curator Joshua Blay even dug out of deep storage the sign that used to crown the entrance of our North 4th St. building, the former Bollman Mansion, which was razed several decades ago. Also on display at present is our Stamtisch, the table and its matching chairs that once were part of Kuechler's Roost atop Mount Penn. This one-of-a-kind large "beverage table" has a listing of German-American Roost patrons carved in a concentric pattern on the table's surface. ===================== =============== 12- HELP! Where is this impressive brick farmhouse located? Note the chimney structure. It is thought the house might be located in Amity Township...or one of the surrounding townships. Do you recognize it? If so, please contact us. gmmix@epix.net 
======================== ============ 13- Anyone recognize the location of this photo, which shows a mid-19th century log cabin being razed? The clue is the house partly seen on the left, which survives....cloaked in vinyl. 
====================== ============== 14- A large quanity of first-class pottery is being added to the Society's gift shop inventory. It be probably be on the shelves by First Thursday. Here we see two of Berks County's finest potters....Lester Breininger of Robesonia and Nancy Speicher of Mount Penn. Lester makes all sorts of unusual redware items; Nancy specializes in stoneware. 
===================== ================ 15- We received the following request: "We are trying to track down an old Christmas story/poem about LUCAS STOUDT. "Dad always used to remind us about this boy who didn't believe in Santa; therefore, on Christmas Eve, Santa said he didn't believe in Lucas Stoudt. "We think it is an old PA Dutch-based story/poem, but we can't find it anywhere. However, we know that Gary Trollinger did a column on this but we can't remember when it appeared in the Reading Eagle." Does anyone know this story/poem? Does anyone have a copy--or know about when it might have appeared in the Eagle? ==================== ==================== 16- Bill Blackwell, husband of history buff Pat Blackwell, sent an email to inform us that his wife is convalescing from a recent health issue. Pat Blackwell, who is best known for her two picture- history books dealing with the Bally area ("Along the Route 100 Corridor"), on Sept. 6th had a severe asthma attack followed by a stroke. She has been slowly recovering at Pheobe Berks, ROOM 131-A, 1 Reading Drive, Wernersville 19565. Her phone # 610-927-8298. Pat loves talking history and seeing people. It looks as though a full recovery is possible, but it will take a long time. Believe it or not, she is jotting down notes for another book. Those of you who know Pat and have bought her books might wish to send a card to let her know you are thinking of her. ===================== ================ ================ GMMIX ========== END |
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