Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:40:18 EDT
1- Society's ANNUAL MEETING this Thursday, Oct.. 25th at 7:30; program around 8:15
On Thursday, October 25, the Historical Society of Berks
County will conduct its Annual Meeting that will commence at
7:30 p.m.
All members of the Historical Society are invited and
encouraged to attend this special meeting.
Executive Director Sime B. Bertolet will present
a state-of-the-society report summarizing the activities
of the HSBC during the past year.
Lois Rhoads, president of the HSBC Auxiliary, will tender
a brief end-of-the-year report of the auxiliary's activities
and accomplishments.
Michelle Lynch, editor of the Historial Review, will announce
the winner of the Hiester Manuscript Award, the winner of which
has his/her article published in our quarterly magazine and is
the recipient of a $500 bond.
At 8:15 the gathering is open to the general public, as well
as the general membership.
The 8:l5, we present a performance by Keith Britzenhoff.
A public school teacher, Keith is an expert on Pennsylvania
German music, dance, instruments, and folklore.
Keith was a musical advisor for the Kutztown PA German Festival,
where he is a regular performer. He has also performed at the
Hershey Museum, Historic Schaefferstown, Der Dutch Peddler
Homecoming (Ohio), Berks County Heritage Festival, Lyons Fiddle
Festival, Mayfair, the Mercer Museum, Reading Liederkranz,
Landis Valley Farm Museum and Musikfest in Bethlehem.
Light refreshmens will follow Mr. Britzenhoff's presentation
2- WINDSOR SHOW HOUSE: You HAVE to see his place! VERY impressive...
WINDSOR SHOW HOUSE
WINDSOR SHOW HOUSE
Decorator Show House
The 121 Windsor Street, Reading, PA
A Berks County Designer and Decorator Showcase...Benefiting
Co-County Wellness Services and the Reading Symphony Orchestra.
Twenty Interior Designers and Decorators Have Re-Dressed the
15-Room, 2 1/2-story Colonial Revival Style Mansion.
House sits on the corner of Windsor & Pear Streets, one and
one-half blocks west of Centre Avenue.
Parking: On-Street parking is available and off-street
at Holy Spirit Church parking lots at Windsor & 4th Streets,
or at the Historical Society lot at 2nd & Spring Streets.
A Bit of History about 121 Windsor:
The house is built in the Colonial Revival style, which was
in vogue from about 1880 to 1955, and based on the earlier
style of Georgian architecture, popular from 1730 to 1830.
The 121 Windsor house features classical details such as
a symmetrical façade, center entry door with fanlight transom
and sidelights, along with multi-glazed windows in the upper
sashes. The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial is credited with
reviving interest in earlier styles of architecture, including colonial.
DO CHECK www.windsorshowhouse.com/
3- The correct link for the Society's CHURCH INDEX with many new entries....
Immediately following our last News-Bits dispatch, Chris ___
was the first to apprise us that the URL provided didn't work
because of a blank space inadvertantly inserted.
The CORRECT link to the updated church records is....
www.berks history.org/library/churches.html
4- Uncle Jack and Mary Lou and HIMMELREICH'S GROVE retrospect
This past week we addressed a large gathering of the membership
of the Gov. Mifflin Historial Society. Topic of the evening
was an overview of special articles that appear in the forth-
coming "Passing Scene--Vol. 15," due out next month.
Included in the extended-article catagory is a retrospect
covering Himmelreich's Grove during the 11-year period Uncle
Jack and Mary Lou were in charge. Actually, the historical
overview covers Himmelreich's Grove from beginning to end....
but the emphasis is on U.J. & M.L.
To add interest, we played a tape that included "We Come Into
Your Home," their WEEU theme song, followed by "You Are My
Sunshine," and "Old Shep."
To our surprise, most in the audience began singing along with
the songs. Nearly everyone seemed to know all the words! We
underestimated the enormous popularity the duo obviously once
enjoyed.
Our next News-Bits will include a sound clip or two of Uncle
Jack and Mary Lou, made possible through the cooperation of
Society member Rev. Willis K. Heckler of Topton whose
collection of Berks historical memorabilia is astonishingly
comprehensive.
6- Order Form.....
7- MYSTERY PHOTO....we know it's Berks. Do YOU recognize this house?
Our good friend Chris Papadakis of West Lawn, who has lent
a substantial number of photos for inclusion in The Passing
Scene series, found several views of this office / home
which might today be covered with siding.
We feel it might be in the West Wyomissing area...but we aren't
sure. At the time this picture was taken, it was used as a
real estate office.
Who recognizes this building? Where is it? Who's the fellow
standing out front?
