Small Town Surprise: Hamburg, PA

I love this small Americana town: 

Hamburg, PA

Named by Pennsylvania Germans after Hamburg, Germany.

This Berks County small town is big on charm. 

It has a historic district of over 400 buildings! 

That's a lot of charm. 

There's also railroad charm at the 

Reading Railroad Heritage Museum 

which is sure to please the railroad buff. 

But the most charming spot I found was the 

Adams and Bright Drug Store c.1902

which installed a soda fountain in 1927.

This Adams and Bright Drug Store retains so much of the old time feel 

with valuable shelf space 

reserved for antique pharmaceutical paraphernalia. 

Other shelves are lined with candies, 

small gifts, toys and sundries. 

I just loved it there. 

In the very back you can get your 

modern day prescriptions filled. 

Why in the world would you go to 

CVS or Walgreens? 

While there, I didn't have a fountain soda, 

but I did have Heisler's ice cream 

in a waffle cone. 

Yum. 

(Due to Covid, there is no indoor seating, 12/20.)

This town is uniquely located 

near Cabella's, Yuengling Brewery, 

the Appalachian Trail, the Schuylkill River

and lots of state game lands 

near the Pocono foothills. 

So there are lots of outdoor activities nearby.

Get yourself to Hamburg and visit the Adams and Bright Drug Store 

for a fountain soda.

Adams and Bright

306 State Street
Hamburg, PA 19526

A Visit to Historic Boyertown, Pennsylvania

 

Welcome to Pennsylvania's 'Americana Region' 

which in part includes Boyertown, Berks County. 

When I think of Boyertown, 

I think of the Colebrookdale Railroad, 

historic structures, 

and bears. 

 

The railroad was created for the iron ore industry 

at about the time of the US Civil War. 

Today it serves as a tourist railroad. 

 

I love the neat architecture throughout Main Street. 

You can do an audio walking tour 

with this QR code. 

 

I previously visited 

the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles 

which was fun and interesting. 

 

 

While in town 

be sure to stop in Taylor Backes - 

you may even get to see glassblowing in progress. 

 

I don't think that there is 

much else to do in Boyertown, 

but you can certainly extend 

your trip into other nearby communities.

 

Oh, about the bears, 

I didn't mean real ones. 

I meant painted ones 

that sit throughout the town. 

You can see 2 in the photo below. 

Boyertown is safe enough 

considering that most crime here is property related. 

So remember to lock up! 

You can view all the images from this trip here. 

I've greatly reduced my social media presence 

after watching The Social Dilemma. 

Highly recommended.

A Pagoda In An Unlikely Place: Reading, Pennsylvania

Perched above the city of Reading in Pennsylvania 

you'll find some Japanese architecture in an unlikely place. 

This pagoda was  built in 1908 and intended for use

as a hotel and restaurant. 

I'm not sure what would draw people to a hotel here  

and maybe that is why it was abandoned. 

Today it is owned by the city of Reading 

and part of the surrounding park.

You can view the city below from the Pagoda parking lot. 

There are also hiking trails in the park around the Pagoda. 

If you visit on the weekend, 

you can go inside to a cafe and gift shop. 

The Pagoda is located at

98 Duryea Dr, Reading, PA 19602

Click here fo my gallery of the Pagoda

Reflection in the Tulpehocken

Weekend Reflections

The Tulpehocken Creek reflects the old Gring's Mill in Berks County, PA. 

And downstream a heron stands watch. 

Other than being a public park today, 

I can't find much information about the history of the mill except that

 there was a murder/suicide here in 1875. 

That story says a mother and her three children, 

in response to her husband's roving eye, 

jumped into the nearby canal and drowned. 

The water does rush crazy strong through the canal lock.  

It is mesmerizing to watch it flow 

but a heartbreaking story to reflect upon. 

Gring's Mill

is located in Berks County at 

2083 Tulpehocken Rd, Reading, PA 19610