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Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading (/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ RED-ing; Pennsylvania German: Reddin) is a city in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 95,112 at the 2020 census, it is the fourth-most populous city in Pennsylvania, behind Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Reading is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, approximately 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 38.8 miles (62.4 km) southwest of Allentown, serving as the principal city of the Greater Reading metropolitan area (Berks County), which had a population of 428,849 as of 2020.
The city is famously known as "The Pretzel City" due to its longstanding history of pretzel manufacturing, housing prominent bakeries such as Bachman, Dieffenbach, Tom Sturgis, and Unique Pretzel. Reading is also famous for giving its name to the historic Reading Railroad (the Reading Company), an essential transporter of anthracite coal during the Industrial Revolution and one of four railroad properties featured on the classic American Monopoly board game. Overlooking the city atop Mount Penn sits the Reading Pagoda, an iconic seven-story Japanese-style pagoda constructed in 1908.
| Characteristic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official Name | City of Reading |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Berks County (County Seat) |
| Settled | 1748 |
| Incorporated as Borough | September 12, 1783 |
| Incorporated as City | March 16, 1847 |
| Named After | Reading, Berkshire, England |
| Government | Mayor–Council |
| Mayor | Eddie Morán (D) |
| Total Area | 10.08 sq mi (26.11 km²) |
| Land Area | 9.84 sq mi (25.49 km²) |
| Water Area | 0.24 sq mi (0.62 km²) |
| Elevation | 305 ft (93 m) |
| Population (2020) | 95,112 (4th in Pennsylvania) |
| Density | 9,664 / sq mi (3,731 / km²) |
| Metro Area Population | 428,849 (Berks County) |
| Demonym | Readingite, Redingensian |
| Time Zone | Eastern (UTC−5 / EDT UTC−4) |
| ZIP Codes | 19601–19612 |
| Area Codes | 610, 484 |
| FIPS Code | 42-63624 |
| GNIS ID | 1215456 |
| Website | readingpa.gov |
The Lenape Native Americans originally inhabited the Delaware River and Schuylkill River valleys before European arrival. In 1743, Richard and Thomas Penn, sons of Pennsylvania's founder William Penn, surveyed the land for a new settlement. The town was officially laid out in 1748 and named after Reading in Berkshire, England, the ancestral county seat of the Penn family.
When Berks County was organized in 1752, Reading was designated as the county seat. The town initially grew through migrations of German settlers (later known as the Pennsylvania Dutch), who introduced agricultural expertise, craft trades, and distinctive culture. During the French and Indian War (1754–1763), Reading served as an important military outpost, fortifying regional frontier defenses.
During the American Revolutionary War, Reading became an indispensable depot for military supplies and munitions, taking advantage of local iron-forging facilities along the Schuylkill River. It was also utilized as a detention camp for captured British and Hessian prisoners of war following victories at Trenton and Saratoga. During the 1793 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Philadelphia, Reading was considered as a temporary national capital and hosted President George Washington.
The 19th century brought explosive industrialization fueled by the anthracite coal industry and transportation infrastructure. The Schuylkill Canal opened in 1825, connecting Reading downstream to Philadelphia.
The transformative event for the city was the chartering and construction of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad in 1833 (later the Reading Company). Transporting anthracite coal from Schuylkill County south through Reading to the Delaware River ports made the Reading Railroad one of the earliest and wealthiest corporate conglomerates in the world. Reading became the operational hub of the railroad, home to massive locomotive repair shops, car manufacturing yards, and iron works.
Reading was incorporated as a city in 1847. By the late 19th century, Reading developed a diverse manufacturing base including textile mills, foundry works, brass foundries, brickworks, and pretzel bakeries. In 1877, Reading was one of the flashpoints of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, culminating in a confrontation at the 7th and Penn rail cut where state militia fired on striking workers, resulting in 10 deaths.
At the turn of the 20th century, Reading was an economic powerhouse:
- Textiles and Hosiery: Companies like the Berkshire Knitting Mills in adjacent Wyomissing grew to become the largest full-fashioned hosiery manufacturer in the world.
- Automotive and Metal: The Duryea Motor Wagon Company built vehicles here in the early 1900s. Carpenter Technology Corporation (founded 1889 as Carpenter Steel) grew into a global leader in specialty alloys and stainless steels.
- Socialist Governance: Reading had a prominent Socialist movement; between 1927 and 1944, voters elected three Socialist mayors (J. Henry Stump served three separate terms) and sent several Socialist legislators to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Following World War II, the decline of domestic anthracite coal, railroad freight restructuring, and the departure of textile manufacturing to the southern states and overseas precipitated economic stagnation. The Reading Company declared bankruptcy in 1971 and its rail assets were absorbed into Conrail in 1976.
In response, Reading pioneered outlet shopping in the 1970s. Former textile mill complexes, such as the Vanity Fair factory complex, were converted into "The VF Outlet Village", drawing millions of shoppers annually from across the Mid-Atlantic and giving Reading the title of "Outlet Capital of the World" for two decades.
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Reading underwent a significant demographic and cultural shift, welcoming large populations of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and other Latino residents who revitalized city neighborhoods, founded small businesses, and injected cultural vibrancy.
Downtown revitalization initiatives led to the opening of the Santander Arena in 2001, the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in 2005 (housed in the former Willson Goggle factory), and the expansion of higher education campuses downtown. In 2019, Eddie Morán was elected Reading's first Latino mayor.
Reading is located at 40°20′30″N 75°55′35″W in southeastern Pennsylvania, set within the Schuylkill River basin between Mount Penn to the east and Neversink Mountain to the south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 10.08 square miles (26.11 km²), of which 9.84 square miles (25.49 km²) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.62 km²) is surface water.
The city's topography features a combination of river basin flatlands and steep mountain ridges. Mount Penn rises to over 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level immediately east of downtown.
Reading falls within the transitional zone between a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and a humid continental climate (Dfa). Summers are generally warm and humid, while winters are cold with variable snowfall.
| Metric | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Daily Max (°F) | 38.8 | 42.1 | 51.5 | 63.6 | 73.4 | 82.2 | 86.4 | 84.4 | 77.2 | 65.7 | 53.9 | 43.1 | 63.5 |
| Mean Daily Min (°F) | 22.8 | 24.6 | 31.9 | 41.5 | 51.5 | 60.8 | 65.5 | 63.9 | 56.4 | 44.9 | 35.1 | 27.2 | 43.8 |
| Precipitation (in) | 3.12 | 2.65 | 3.63 | 3.51 | 3.97 | 4.38 | 4.56 | 4.15 | 4.41 | 3.82 | 3.25 | 3.64 | 45.09 |
| Snowfall (in) | 7.9 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 4.2 | 25.5 |
Reading is organized into several historic and functional neighborhoods:
- Downtown / Center City: Commercial, banking, legal, and entertainment core centered around Penn Street.
- Center Park Historic District: Known for grand Victorian, Queen Anne, and Italianate architecture built by 19th-century industrialists.
- Callowhill Historic District: Reading's oldest residential quarter.
- North Reading & Northeast Reading: Densely populated urban residential grids.
- South of Penn (SOP): Traditional working-class district between Penn Street and Neversink Mountain.
- Oakbrook & Millmont: Residential communities situated west and southwest of the Schuylkill River.
- Hampden Heights: Tree-lined residential neighborhood nestled at the foot of Mount Penn.
| Census | Population | %± | Census | Population | %± |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 2,225 | — | 1910 | 96,071 | 21.7% |
| 1820 | 4,332 | 24.3% | 1930 | 111,171 | 3.2% |
| 1850 | 15,748 | 87.3% | 1950 | 109,320 | -1.1% |
| 1870 | 33,930 | 46.8% | 1970 | 87,643 | -10.7% |
| 1890 | 58,661 | 35.6% | 2000 | 81,207 | 3.7% |
| 1900 | 78,961 | 34.6% | 2020 | 95,112 | 8.3% |
Reading has one of the highest proportions of Hispanic and Latino residents of any Pennsylvania city:
| Racial / Ethnic Category | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 65,548 | 68.9% |
| White (Non-Hispanic) | 18,228 | 19.2% |
| Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) | 8,812 | 9.3% |
| Asian (Non-Hispanic) | 1,234 | 1.3% |
| Native American / Alaska Native | 175 | 0.2% |
| Two or more races / Other (Non-Hispanic) | 1,115 | 1.2% |
| Total | 95,112 | 100.0% |
Historically anchored by railroads, foundries, and textiles, Reading's contemporary economy has diversified into healthcare, specialty manufacturing, logistics, retail, and financial services.
- Specialty Metals & Materials: Carpenter Technology Corporation, headquartered in the Reading area, develops specialty alloys, titanium, and advanced metal solutions for aerospace, defense, and medical markets.
- Healthcare: Tower Health (headquartered in nearby West Reading) operates Reading Hospital, a major regional tertiary care teaching medical center with over 700 beds and the busiest emergency department in Pennsylvania.
- Pretzel & Food Production: Often celebrated as the "Pretzel Capital of the World", Greater Reading produces a significant percentage of pretzels eaten in the United States through companies like Unique Snacks, Tom Sturgis, Dieffenbach's, and Bachman.
- Logistics & Distribution: Strategically situated within overnight trucking reach of the Boston-to-Washington corridor, Reading and Berks County host extensive warehousing, distribution, and freight operations along US-222 and I-78.
- Battery Manufacturing: East Penn Manufacturing (makers of Deka batteries) operates one of the largest single-site battery production complexes in the country just outside the city.
Reading offers a diverse array of historic landmarks, cultural institutions, and performing arts venues:
- The Pagoda: Built in 1908 atop Mount Penn, this seven-story, Japanese-style pagoda was originally intended as the centerpiece for a luxury mountain resort. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers panoramic vistas of the city and valley.
- GoggleWorks Center for the Arts: One of the largest comprehensive interactive arts centers in the country, occupying the 145,000-square-foot former Willson Goggle factory. It contains artist studios, galleries, classrooms, and a hot glass studio.
- Reading Public Museum: Established in 1904, featuring an extensive collection of fine art, natural history specimens, an authentic Egyptian mummy ("Nefrina"), and the Neag Planetarium.
- Santander Performing Arts Center: Originally the Rajah Shrine Temple (built in the 1870s and rebuilt in 1921 after a fire), this historic theater hosts touring Broadway productions, comedy, and concerts, and serves as the home of the Reading Symphony Orchestra (founded 1913).
- Santander Arena: A 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Downtown Reading hosting concerts, sports tournaments, and family entertainment.
- Mid-Atlantic Air Museum: Located at Reading Regional Airport, showcasing vintage aircraft and hosting the annual World War II Weekend.
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Fightin Phils | Baseball | Eastern League (Double-A affiliate of Philadelphia Phillies) | FirstEnergy Stadium | 1967 |
| Reading Royals | Ice Hockey | ECHL (Affiliate of Philadelphia Flyers) | Santander Arena | 2001 |
| Reading United AC | Soccer | USL League Two | Don Thomas Stadium | 1995 |
The Reading Fightin Phils have had the longest continuous affiliation with the same Major League club (Philadelphia Phillies) in all of Minor League Baseball, operating uninterrupted since 1967. FirstEnergy Stadium has regularly been voted one of the best classic minor league ballparks in America.
Reading operates under a Home Rule Charter with a Mayor–Council form of government:
- Executive: The Mayor is elected at-large to a four-year term and acts as the chief executive and administrative officer of the city.
- Legislative: The Reading City Council consists of seven members: six elected from single-member districts and one City Council President elected at-large.
Politically, Reading is heavily Democratic. In 2019, Democrat Eddie Morán became the city's first elected Latino mayor and was re-elected in 2023.
- Albright College: Private liberal arts college founded in 1856, located in northeast Reading.
- Alvernia University: Franciscan university located in southwestern Reading, with an expanding downtown satellite campus.
- Penn State Berks: A commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in nearby Spring Township.
- Reading Area Community College (RACC): A comprehensive, two-year community college situated along the Schuylkill River in downtown Reading.
The Reading School District serves the entire municipality and is among the largest public school districts in Pennsylvania. Its primary high school, Reading High School (the "Red Knights"), is housed in a prominent 1927 stone castle-like fortress known as "The Castle on the Hill". Reading High's boys' basketball program is one of the most storied and winningest in the commonwealth.
Reading is connected by a network of arterial highways:
- U.S. Route 422 (The West Shore Bypass & Warren Street Bypass): Connects Reading east to Pottstown, King of Prussia, and Philadelphia, and west to Lebanon.
- U.S. Route 222: The primary diagonal highway linking Lancaster to the southwest and Allentown and the Lehigh Valley to the northeast.
- Pennsylvania Route 61: Travels north to Hamburg, Pottsville, and the Anthracite Coal Region.
- Interstate 176 (The Morgantown Expressway): Links Reading south to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76).
- BARTA (Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority): Operates a comprehensive network of local bus transit routes throughout the city and surrounding suburban municipalities, terminating at the BARTA Transportation Center on North 8th Street.
- Passenger Rail: Reading was once a primary terminal of the Reading Railroad, with daily passenger trains to Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and New York City. Intercity passenger service ended in 1981. Restoration of passenger rail service between Reading, Phoenixville, Norristown, and Philadelphia via the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority is currently under active planning and study under the Federal Railroad Administration Corridor ID program.
- Reading Regional Airport (Carl A. Spaatz Field): Situated three miles northwest of downtown, providing general aviation, charter services, flight training, and cargo handling.
- Taylor Swift (b. 1989) – 14-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, raised in neighboring Wyomissing.
- Keith Haring (1958–1990) – Internationally renowned pop artist and social activist, born in Reading and raised in Kutztown.
- Wallace Stevens (1879–1955) – Pulitzer Prize-winning modernist poet, born and raised in Reading.
- John Updike (1932–2009) – Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet, born in Reading (which served as the basis for the fictional "Olinger" and "Brewer" in his Rabbit series).
- Lonnie Walker IV (b. 1998) – Professional NBA basketball player, raised in Reading and graduated from Reading High School.
- James Henry "J. Henry" Stump (1880–1955) – Three-term Socialist Mayor of Reading during the early 20th century.
- Carl A. Spaatz (1891–1974) – World War II general and first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, born in nearby Boyertown and associated with the Reading airfield named in his honor.
- Chip Kidd (b. 1964) – Graphic designer and book jacket illustrator, born in Reading.
Reading maintains sister city relationships with:
- Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Changzhi, Shanxi, China
- San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic
- Greater Reading
- Reading Railroad
- Pennsylvania Dutch Country
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Berks County, Pennsylvania
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Reading, Pennsylvania, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.