00:20 - >>HELLO, MY NAME IS BRADLEY

00:21 - SMITH. I'M THE ARCHIVIST AND

00:23 - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT THE BERKS

00:24 - HISTORY CENTER.

00:26 - THE BERKS HISTORY CENTER HAS

00:27 - EXISTED SINCE THE 18 60'S

00:30 - ORIGINALLY AS THE HISTORICAL

00:31 - SOCIETY OF BERKS COUNTY WE'VE

00:33 - BEEN IN THIS LOCATION SINCE

00:35 - 1929. AND WE HAVE VARIETY OF

00:39 - EXHIBITS PROGRAMS RESEARCH

00:42 - LIBRARY. THE HENRY ON SOME

00:43 - LIBRARY, WHICH WE MAKE

00:45 - AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO

00:46 - OUR MEMBERS TODAY. I'LL BE

00:48 - TAKING YOU ON A WALK THROUGH

00:49 - THE MUSEUM AND LOOK FORWARD TO

00:50 - SHOWING YOU AROUND.

00:56 - I'M STANDING IN THE MISER

00:58 - GALLERY AT THE BERKS HISTORY

00:59 - CENTER.

01:00 - THE MISER GALLERIES AND JASON,

01:02 - TO OUR FRONT ENTRANCE LOBBY.

01:04 - AND AS SUCH, IT'S A GOOD PLACE

01:06 - TO GIVE AN TO BERKS COUNTY

01:09 - HISTORY. WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL

01:11 - ARTIFACTS IN THIS ROOM THAT

01:13 - RELATE TO EARLY BERKS COUNTY,

01:14 - A STREAM ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS

01:16 - RIGHT HERE. IT'S A AND BOSTON

01:18 - SEAL USE FOR COURT DOCUMENTS

01:21 - WITH THE DATE OF 17. 53, WHAT'S

01:24 - EXCITING ABOUT THAT IS THAT

01:26 - BERKS COUNTY WAS ONLY ONE YEAR

01:28 - OLD AT THE TIME AND WE KNOW

01:31 - WHO USE THIS WAS USED BY A MAN

01:32 - NAMED JAMES REED. AND USED FOR

01:36 - VARIOUS COURT DOCUMENTS.

01:37 - HE WAS THE PROTHONOTARY, A

01:39 - BERKS COUNTY FOR ABOUT THE

01:41 - FIRST 25 YEARS OF OUR

01:43 - EXISTENCE. WE ALSO HAVE OVER

01:47 - HERE.

01:49 - LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST BERKS

01:51 - COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WHICH WAS

01:53 - BUILT IN 17. 63. IT STOOD IN

01:56 - THE CENTRE OF READING, WHICH

01:58 - WAS THE CENTER OF BERKS COUNTY,

01:59 - SAYS IT WAS LITERALLY THE

02:01 - EPICENTER OF THE COMMUNITY.

02:04 - WE ALSO HAVE. A DATE STONE FROM

02:07 - THAT COURTHOUSE WITH THE DATA

02:09 - 17 62 AND THE INITIALS OF THE

02:12 - 3 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT THE

02:14 - TIME.

02:17 - THROUGHOUT THE 17, 100'S IN

02:19 - 1800 SPARKS COUNTY WAS A

02:20 - PROLIFIC PRODUCER OF IRON.

02:23 - WE HAD MANY ARE INFERENCES

02:25 - FOUNDRIES AND FORGES AND OUR

02:28 - COLLECTION CONTAINS MANY OF

02:29 - THE ITEMS THAT WERE MADE THERE.

02:32 - FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CANNONBALL,

02:35 - WHICH WAS MADE ONLY FURNACE

02:36 - DURING THE ERA OF THE

02:37 - REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

02:40 - AND THE STOVE PLATES. THESE

02:43 - ARE ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING

02:44 - THERE FROM SOMETHING CALLED

02:45 - A 5 PLATE STOVES. WE'RE IN GM'S

02:48 - TO THESE ARE UNIQUE TO THE

02:49 - PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN IMMIGRANTS

02:52 - IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

02:54 - AND ESSENTIALLY A JAM STOVE

02:56 - WAS AN IRON BOX THAT WAS

03:00 - POSITIONED INTO THE BACK OF

03:01 - A FIREPLACE FILLED WITH KOHL'S

03:04 - TO PROVIDE MORE EFFICIENT

03:07 - HEATING FOR THEIR HOME. THEY'RE

03:09 - ALSO UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY WERE.

03:12 - UNIQUELY DESIGNED WITH FLORAL

03:14 - MOTIFS BIBLICAL MOTIFS AND

03:18 - ARTWORK AND

03:21 - HOLMES AND SAYING SOME BIBLICAL

03:23 - VERSES AND THEY'RE QUITE EARLY.

03:25 - AUSTIN DATED AND OFTEN

03:28 - INCLUDING THE FURNESS WHERE

03:30 - THEY WERE CAST THIS PLATE ON

03:32 - THE LEFT IS MARK 17. 26.

03:35 - AND AS ONE OF OUR EARLIEST

03:37 - PLATES HERE AT THE BERKS

03:38 - HISTORY CENTER, IT'S FROM THE

03:39 - COLEBROOKDALE FURNACE, WHICH

03:41 - WAS NEAR BOYERTOWN,

03:42 - PENNSYLVANIA.

03:46 - IN OUR IRON EXHIBIT. WE HAVE A

03:48 - PORTRAIT OF DANIEL POUDRE WHO

03:51 - IS TO MY LEFT. DANIEL, WHO DRE

03:53 - WAS AN IRON FURNESS OPERATOR.

03:56 - HE WAS THE PARTIAL OWNER OF

03:58 - ONLY FURNACE. HE ALSO WAS A

04:00 - COLONEL DURING THE

04:01 - REVOLUTIONARY WAR. AND LATER, A

04:05 - MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF

04:06 - REPRESENTATIVES. WHAT I ATE

04:09 - LIKE ABOUT THIS PORTRAIT AS

04:11 - HE'S HOLDING A PIECE OF IRON

04:12 - ORE.

04:14 - SORT OF A SYMBOL OF HIS

04:15 - BUSINESS SUCCESS.

04:18 - BEHIND HIM IS A DESK ON THAT

04:21 - DESK IS A LEDGER. AND YOU CAN

04:23 - SEE THERE'S A DATE IN THE

04:24 - LEDGER BOOK OF 17. 99 THAT

04:27 - HELPS THE STATE. THIS PORTRAIT.

04:29 - BUT ALSO INTERESTING IS WE HAVE

04:32 - THAT EXACT ASK HERE NEXT TO

04:35 - THE PORTRAIT. WE'RE VERY

04:36 - FORTUNATE THAT IT SURVIVED.

04:38 - AND THE PORTRAIT HELPS US TO

04:39 - VERIFY THE TRADITION THAT THIS

04:42 - DID INDEED BELONG TO DANIEL

04:43 - TO DRAG OF FULLY FURNACE.

04:49 - BERKS COUNTY WAS REALLY AN

04:50 - INDUSTRIAL POWERHOUSE IN THE

04:52 - LATE 18, 100'S EARLY 19, 100'S

04:55 - DURING THE AIR. WE OFTEN REFER

04:57 - TO AS THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

04:59 - WHAT'S PARTICULARLY NEED ABOUT

05:01 - THE CITY OF READING IS THE

05:03 - DIVERSITY OF PRODUCTS THAT WERE

05:05 - PRODUCED HERE AND THIS LITTLE

05:07 - DISPLAY SHOWS A LITTLE BIT OF

05:09 - OF THAT. WE HAVE A MOLD FROM

05:11 - LUTON'S CANDIES

05:13 - PEOPLE MIGHT KNOW THAT NAME

05:14 - FROM LUTON'S COUGH DROPS, WHICH

05:16 - ARE ORIGINALLY FROM READING.

05:18 - WE HAVE YOKUM BROTHER CIGARS.

05:21 - WE HAVE A BOX LOCK FROM READING

05:23 - HARDWARE COMPANY, BEER FROM

05:25 - READING.

05:28 - PRETZELS AND EVEN WOMEN'S

05:30 - STOCKINGS.

05:32 - WE HAD A NUMBER OF CLOSE OR

05:34 - EMAILS IN BERKS COUNTY.

05:37 - PROBABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN AS

05:38 - BERKSHIRE NETTING MALES.

05:40 - AND THIS IS INTERESTING.

05:41 - THIS IS THE ONE BILLIONTH PAIR

05:43 - OF STOCKINGS MADE AT THE

05:45 - BERKSHIRE KNITTING MILLS AND A

05:47 - LITTLE COMMEMORATIVE BOX THAT

05:49 - CAME TO OUR COLLECTION.

05:52 - BECAUSE THEY WERE SO MANY

05:54 - OPPORTUNITIES. SO MANY JOBS,

05:57 - MANY IMMIGRANTS.

05:59 - PARTICULARLY FROM SOUTHERN AND

06:01 - EASTERN EUROPE.

06:03 - IN THE LATE 18, 100'S AND ALSO

06:07 - FROM THE DEEP SOUTH

06:09 - WE CAME TO READING. IN SEARCH

06:13 - OF OPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THOSE

06:15 - FAMILIES WAS A COUPLE NAMED

06:17 - ADAM AND CHRISTINA FELL.

06:19 - THEY WERE FROM ROMANIA. THEY

06:21 - CAME HERE IN 1924, WHAT'S

06:24 - INTERESTING ABOUT THEIR STORY

06:25 - IS THEY WERE IN WHAT WAS

06:27 - ORIGINALLY THE AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

06:29 - EMPIRE.

06:30 - AUSTRIA, HUNGARY WAS ONE OF

06:32 - THE LOSERS IN WORLD WAR.

06:34 - ONE. SO IT WAS NOT A PLACE

06:38 - WHERE OPPORTUNITY ABOUNDED IN

06:40 - THE 1920'S. SO THEY PACKED UP

06:42 - THEIR THINGS AND CAME TO

06:45 - READING IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT

06:47 - WHEN THEY CAME OVER FROM

06:48 - ROMANIA. THEY BROUGHT 2

06:50 - SUITCASES WITH THEM ONE FOR

06:52 - HIS ITEMS, ONE FOR HER ITEMS.

06:55 - AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES.

06:58 - I LOVE THIS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY

07:00 - A TANGIBLE ARTIFACT. THE FAMILY

07:03 - LITERALLY.

07:04 - PURSUING A DREAM STARTING OVER,

07:07 - LOOKING FOR A FRESH START AND

07:09 - THEY SAW THAT IN READING

07:11 - PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE OF THE

07:13 - OPPORTUNITY WE HAD HERE.

07:16 - NEXT TO ME IS A DRAWING OF A

07:19 - BERKS COUNTY FARM CREATED BY

07:21 - AN ITINERANT OUR ESTEEMED

07:22 - FERDINAND, GREATER.

07:24 - RADER WOULD TRAVEL AROUND THE

07:26 - COUNTRYSIDE FOR 2 COMPLETE

07:30 - RENDERINGS, A FARM PROPERTIES

07:32 - FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. AND WE

07:35 - HAVE SEVERAL OF THESE HERE IN

07:37 - OUR COLLECTION THE DAY THEY

07:39 - ARE A WONDERFUL RESOURCE.

07:40 - WE LOVE THESE DRAWINGS BECAUSE

07:42 - THEY SHOW SO MUCH DETAIL

07:45 - EVERYTHING FROM WHAT CROPS THEY

07:47 - WERE GOPRO AND WHAT LIVESTOCK

07:49 - WAS ON THE FARM TO LITTLE

07:52 - DETAILS OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF

07:54 - THE BARNS. YOU CAN EVEN SEE

07:56 - THE CLOTHING THEY WERE WEARING.

07:58 - EVEN THE BUTTONS ON THEIR

07:59 - OUTFITS. SO THERE'S SO MUCH

08:01 - DETAIL THAT ONE CAN FIND IN

08:04 - THESE DRAWINGS WE HAVE SEVERAL

08:08 - OF THEM HERE IN THE COLLECTION.

08:09 - SEVERAL CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY.

08:13 - VERY FORTUNATE. THEY SURVIVE.

08:19 - I'M STANDING NOW IN THE PALMER

08:21 - GALLERY. THIS IS A SPACE WHERE

08:23 - WE HAVE TEMPORARY EXHIBITS,

08:24 - WHICH TEND TO BE ABOUT 6 TO

08:27 - 12 MONTHS IN LENGTH. OUR

08:29 - CURRENT TEMP OR EXHIBIT IS THE

08:31 - PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION. DOCTOR

08:33 - WILLIAM HEYMAN. HE'S RIGHT HERE

08:36 - NEXT TO ME.

08:38 - DOCTOR HAMMOND WAS A PHYSICIAN

08:40 - BY PROFESSION, BUT HE WAS ALSO

08:42 - AN AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND A

08:44 - VERY EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHER

08:46 - ACTUALLY HAVE HIS CAMERA HERE

08:48 - ON DISPLAY ALONG A COLLECTION

08:51 - OF ABOUT 70 OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS.

08:54 - WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT

08:56 - THIS EXHIBIT WITHOUT WILLIAM

08:58 - HUMANS PHOTOGRAPHY IS THAT HE

09:00 - REALLY FOCUS ON EVERYDAY LIFE.

09:03 - EVERYDAY PEOPLE DOING THE DAILY

09:06 - TASKS.

09:07 - OR THE THE LEISURE ACTIVITIES.

09:11 - JUST IT'S HIS WORK AS A REAL

09:13 - SLICE OF EVERYDAY LIFE. AND

09:15 - IT'S JUST A LOT OF FUN TO LOOK

09:17 - AT. THIS CAPTURED IN HIS

09:19 - PHOTOGRAPHS.

09:23 - ONE OF THE INTERESTING

09:24 - COLLECTIONS WE HAVE HERE IN

09:26 - THIS GALLERY PERTAINS TO BOW

09:29 - DO IS PICTURED HERE IN THE PORT

09:31 - AND ON THE LAW PHOTO AUTO WAS

09:33 - THE CHIEF SURGEON OF THE

09:35 - CONTINENTAL ARMY. DURING THE

09:36 - REVOLUTIONARY WAR. AND HE WAS

09:38 - FROM READING PENNSYLVANIA

09:41 - WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REALLY

09:44 - FASCINATING ITEMS, PERHAPS THE

09:46 - MOST INTERESTING IS WE HAVE

09:48 - A COLLECTION OF HIS SURGEON

09:49 - TOOLS.

09:52 - OUR VERY INTIMIDATING.

09:54 - AND DISCONCERTING. BUT A PART

09:58 - OF THE STORY. OF THE

10:00 - CONTINENTAL ARMY AND

10:02 - REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA MEDICINE.

10:04 - WE

10:05 - ALSO HAVE TO KANTER SET THAT

10:08 - BELONG TO BOW DO BECAUSE EVERY

10:10 - GOOD OFFICER NEEDED TO TRAVEL

10:12 - WITH HIS AMPLE SUPPLY OF BRANDY

10:14 - AND OTHER BEVERAGES TO HELP GET

10:16 - THROUGH THE WAR.

10:19 - THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS HAD

10:21 - A PROPENSITY FOR ADDING

10:22 - DECORATION TO EVERYDAY

10:24 - HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS. AND THAT'S

10:26 - THE CASE WITH THESE BLANKET

10:27 - CHESS, WHICH ARE FROM THE LATE

10:29 - 17, 100'S. AND THEY REALLY SHOW

10:32 - THAT TYPICAL PENNSYLVANIA

10:33 - GERMAN FLAIR LIKE FLOWERS.

10:36 - BIRDS, ANGELS.

10:39 - EVEN PARENTS BECAUSE THEY KNEW

10:41 - OF PARENTS BECAUSE WE HAD A

10:44 - SPECIES, A PARENT IN NORTH

10:45 - AMERICA, THE CAROLINA PARAKEET

10:51 - THE PIANO INDUSTRY IN THE

10:52 - UNITED STATES REALLY BEGAN WITH

10:54 - PENNSYLVANIA. GERMAN CRAFTSMAN,

10:57 - SPECIFICALLY IN PHILADELPHIA,

10:58 - PHILADELPHIA WAS SORT OF THE

11:00 - EPICENTER OF AMERICAN PIANO

11:02 - MAKING. AND THE LATE 17, 100'S

11:05 - IN EARLY 18, 100'S. BUT

11:07 - SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY READING

11:09 - PENNSYLVANIA ALSO HAD A STRONG

11:11 - CANDIDATE MAKING TRADITION.

11:13 - IN FACT, THAT WAS SO STRONG

11:15 - THAT WE PROVIDED A CERTAIN

11:17 - LEVEL OF COMPETITION,

11:18 - PHILADELPHIA, EVEN THAT WAS

11:20 - SO MUCH LARGER. THIS PANEL HERE

11:23 - IS WHAT'S CALLED A SQUARE

11:24 - PIANO. IT WAS MADE IN 18, 10 BY

11:27 - READING. CRAFTSMAN IN JON HAMM

11:29 - ROCKER.

11:32 - THIS PART OF THE PIANO IS

11:33 - CALLED THE NAME BOARD AND IT'S

11:36 - DECORATED WITH THE NAME AND

11:38 - CITY OF THE MAKER. WE BELIEVE

11:41 - THE ARTIST WHO APPLIED THAT

11:42 - WAS NAMED FREDERIC CHRISTOPHER

11:43 - PASAR OFF, WHO WAS A LOCAL

11:45 - ARTIST FROM READING.

11:48 - THERE'S A GREAT STORY WITH THIS

11:49 - PIANO. IT WAS IN A PRIVATE

11:51 - COLLECTION IN CALIFORNIA THAT

11:53 - WAS ON THE VERGE OF BEING SOLD

11:55 - OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

11:57 - A CONSERVATOR WITH COLONIAL

11:59 - WILLIAMSBURG FOUND OUT ABOUT IT

12:02 - PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN MONEY.

12:04 - CONSERVED IT AND DONATED IT TO

12:06 - US SO IT CAN RETURN TO ITS CITY

12:08 - OF ORIGIN AND NOT LEAVE THE

12:10 - COUNTRY. AND WE'RE VERY, VERY

12:12 - GRATEFUL THAT HE DID THAT

12:14 - BECAUSE OF THAT GENEROSITY.

12:16 - IT'S NOW HERE FOR THE PUBLIC

12:18 - TO AND ENJOY AND APPRECIATE

12:22 - I'M NOW STANDING NEXT TO ONE OF

12:23 - MY FAVORITE ARTIFACTS AT THE

12:25 - BERKS HISTORY CENTER THIS IS A

12:27 - MODEL SHOWING READING

12:28 - PENNSYLVANIA AROUND THE YEAR,

12:31 - 1800. THIS MODEL WAS PRODUCED

12:33 - AS A WORKS. PROGRESS

12:34 - ADMINISTRATION PROJECT IN THE

12:36 - 1930'S DURING THE GREAT

12:38 - DEPRESSION.

12:40 - ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT

12:41 - THIS MODEL IS IT SHOWS THE

12:43 - BERKS COUNTY ORIGINAL

12:45 - COURTHOUSE. THOSE 17 63 I

12:49 - PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT THIS

12:50 - COURTHOUSE WAS REALLY SORT OF

12:52 - THE EPICENTER OF THE COMMUNITY

12:54 - AND THE COUNTY. AND I THINK

12:56 - THIS MODEL REALLY HELPS TO

12:58 - CONVEY THAT IDEA, BUT ALSO

13:00 - FLANKING THE COURTHOUSE.

13:01 - NEITHER SIDE OUR TO THE MARKET

13:03 - HOUSES WHERE ONE CAN GO AND

13:06 - BY PRODUCE AND LIVESTOCK.

13:08 - AND OTHER FOOD IN THE LATE 17,

13:11 - 100'S IN EARLY 18. 100'S, THESE

13:14 - MARKET HOUSES WERE REALLY A

13:17 - I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT. THIS

13:19 - MODEL.

13:20 - SHOWS THE MARKET HOUSES WHICH

13:23 - FLANKED THE COURTHOUSE, THE

13:25 - MARKET HOUSE, WHERE A PLACE

13:26 - WHERE ONE CAN GO TO BUY.

13:28 - AND SO.

13:29 - PRODUCE LIVESTOCK AND OTHER

13:31 - TYPES OF FOOD PRODUCED LOCALLY

13:34 - IN BERKS COUNTY. AND THESE ARE

13:36 - REALLY SORT OF THE COMMUNITY

13:37 - CENTER, A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN

13:38 - GO TO SEE PEOPLE TO JUST

13:40 - INTERACT WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF

13:42 - THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN

13:44 - REALLY IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY,

13:46 - THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN THE

13:49 - IN THE ENTIRE WAY OUT. BUT IN

13:51 - PARTICULAR WITH THE MARKET

13:52 - HOUSES ON THIS DISPLAY

13:55 - ALSO INTERESTING IS THIS IS THE

13:58 - CENTER OF TOWN AND SO MANY OF

14:00 - THESE BUILDINGS PICTURED WERE

14:03 - THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE

14:05 - EARLY READING COMMUNITY.

14:08 - AND WE HAVE A THE KEY THAT

14:10 - SHOWS WHERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE

14:11 - LIVED AND WHAT THEY DID AND HOW

14:14 - THEY INTERACT WITH THE REST OF

14:15 - THE COMMUNITY. SO THERE'S

14:16 - REALLY THIS IS A GREAT TOOL

14:18 - FOR TALKING ABOUT. DIFFERENT

14:20 - PEOPLE WITHIN READING,

14:22 - PARTICULARLY THE MOVERS AND

14:23 - SHAKERS IN THE HEART OF THE

14:25 - CITY.

14:28 - NOT A SINGLE STRUCTURE FROM THE

14:31 - CIRCA 1800 LAYOUT STILL STANDS

14:34 - TODAY.

14:37 - ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE

14:39 - HOME. AND WORKSHOP ARE PICTURED

14:42 - ON THE. MODEL LAYOUT OF READING

14:45 - IS THIS MAN DANIEL ROSE.

14:47 - DANIEL ROSE WAS BEST KNOWN AS A

14:50 - CLOCK MAKER IN READING. AND

14:54 - TO MY LEFT WE HAVE ONE OF HIS

14:56 - CLOCKS FIRM, THE 17 80'S.

15:00 - HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE

15:02 - STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

15:04 - FOR A NUMBER OF SESSIONS.

15:06 - BUT HE HAD A HIT IN LOVE TO

15:09 - HAVE AN INTEREST. HE LOVED

15:10 - MUSIC MUSIC WAS HIS PASSION.

15:13 - AND WHAT I REALLY ENJOY ABOUT

15:14 - THIS PORTRAYED AS HE TRIED TO

15:17 - CONVEY IN THE PORTRAIT OR

15:20 - THROUGH THE PROTO PORTRAIT.

15:22 - HIS LOVE OF MUSIC.

15:24 - AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU

15:25 - CAN SEE A NUMBER OF MUSICAL

15:26 - INSTRUMENTS SORT OF HITTING

15:29 - IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE

15:30 - PAINTING

15:33 - GEORGE WASHINGTON PASSED

15:35 - THROUGH BERKS COUNTY ON 2

15:36 - OCCASIONS ONCE IN 17, 93 THE

15:39 - SECOND TIME IN 17 94. ACCORDING

15:42 - TO A LEGEND DURING HIS SECOND

15:45 - TRIP IN 17, 94. HE PASSED

15:47 - THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OF

15:49 - SINKING SPRING AND STOPPED AT

15:51 - THE HOME OF A MAN NAMED PETER

15:52 - PALM AND SAT.

15:55 - ON THIS BENCH IN PIER PALMS

15:57 - HOUSE AND HAD A DRINK. ITS A

16:01 - GREAT STORY. AND INTERESTINGLY

16:04 - ENOUGH, THIS BENCH CAME TO US

16:06 - AS A DONATION IN 1910.

16:11 - AND WHEN IT CAME TO US, THE

16:12 - FAMILY.

16:14 - I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THE STORY

16:16 - THAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD WAS

16:17 - TRUE.

16:20 - MORE RECENTLY WE'VE DONE SOME

16:22 - RESEARCH TO TRY AND VERIFY THE

16:24 - ACCURACY OF THAT STORY. AND

16:26 - UNFORTUNATELY, THE MORE WE DUG

16:28 - INTO IT, THE MORE WE FOUND

16:31 - HOLES. IN THE TAIL.

16:36 - WE ULTIMATELY CAME TO THE

16:37 - CONCLUSION THAT THE FACTS OF

16:40 - THE STORY JUST DON'T MATCH UP

16:42 - WITH THE NARRATIVE. FOR

16:43 - EXAMPLE, GEORGE WASHINGTON KEPT

16:45 - A DIARY.

16:48 - HIS DIARY ENTRIES FROM THAT

16:50 - DAY.

16:52 - INDICATE THAT THEY HAD A

16:54 - PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THEIR

16:55 - FORCES.

16:58 - AND THAT CAUSED HIM TO BE LATE.

17:00 - AND THEY HAD TO RUSH ON THEIR

17:02 - JOURNEY THROUGH THAT AREA OF

17:04 - BERKS COUNTY. THEY WOULD HAVE

17:05 - PASSED THROUGH THERE. THEY WERE

17:08 - BEHIND SCHEDULE AND WE'RE

17:09 - TRYING TO RUSH. HE TALKS ABOUT

17:12 - THAT IN HIS DIARY MAKES NO

17:14 - MENTION OF STOPPING TO VISIT

17:16 - PETER PAUL FOR SOMETHING TO

17:18 - DRINK.

17:20 - THE FAMILY ALSO SAID THAT PETER

17:22 - PULLMAN, WASHINGTON FOR CLOSE

17:24 - PERSONAL FRIENDS, HOWEVER, IN

17:27 - ALL OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S

17:29 - LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

17:31 - WHICH ARE NOW DIGITIZED AND

17:33 - SEARCHABLE BY THE NATIONAL

17:34 - ARCHIVES. THERE IS NO MENTION

17:38 - EVER OF A MAN NAMED PETER PAUL.

17:42 - I ALSO INTERESTING WE'VE TALKED

17:44 - TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT FURNITURE

17:46 - EXPERTS WHO ALL SAY THE SAME

17:48 - THING. THIS BENCH IS NOT OLD

17:51 - ENOUGH TO BE FROM THE 17 90'S.

17:53 - THE DESIGN IS MORE TYPICAL OF

17:55 - THE 18 20'S. SO THIS IS STILL A

17:59 - 200 YEAR-OLD BENCH WITH A LOT

18:02 - OF HISTORY TO IT.

18:04 - IT JUST PROBABLY NOT A BENCH

18:06 - THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON

18:07 - SADDENED. WE'D LIKE TO TALK

18:09 - ABOUT IT, THOUGH, BECAUSE I

18:10 - THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS OUR DESIRE

18:13 - TO ALWAYS TELL AN ACCURATE

18:16 - STORY. EVEN IF THE STORY IS NOT

18:18 - QUITE AS GOOD AS WE'D HOPED

18:19 - IT WAS.

18:22 - I'M NOW STANDING IN THE HE'S TO

18:24 - ROOM, WHICH TELLS THE STORY

18:26 - OF JOSEPH AND ELIZABETH EASTER

18:28 - OF BERKS COUNTY. JOSEPH EASTER

18:31 - IS VERY WELL KNOWN BOTH AS A

18:33 - REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERAN AND A

18:35 - VERY SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL

18:37 - FIGURE FROM OUR AREA. HE WAS

18:41 - PROBABLY MOST FAMOUS FOR BEING

18:42 - GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA IN

18:44 - THE EARLY 18 20'S THIS ROOM IS

18:47 - ALSO ONE OF OUR LONGEST

18:48 - STANDING EXHIBITS. IT'S BEEN

18:50 - IN EXISTENCE SINCE THE 1930'S

18:53 - AND MORE RECENTLY WE STARTED

18:55 - ASKING QUESTIONS ALONG THE

18:57 - LINES OF ARE THE OBJECTS IN

19:00 - THIS ROOM. DEFINITELY LINKED TO

19:03 - THE HOUSTON FAMILY.

19:04 - WHEN THEY ARRIVED HERE IN THE

19:07 - 1900 YEARS AGO, IT WAS JUST

19:09 - SORT OF ACCEPTED AS A GIVEN

19:10 - THAT THEY WERE. I MENTIONED

19:12 - PREVIOUSLY. THAT'S IMPORTANT

19:14 - TO US THAT WE ALWAYS TELLING

19:16 - ACCURATE STORY. SO WE STARTED

19:18 - DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THESE

19:19 - OBJECTS. AND LO AND BEHOLD, IT

19:22 - TURNS OUT THAT MANY OF THEM DO,

19:24 - IN FACT, BELONG TO OUR BELONG

19:28 - TO.

19:29 - THE GREAT GRAND CHILDREN AND

19:31 - GRANDCHILDREN OF JOSEPH EASTER.

19:33 - AND WE CAN TRACE THAT THESE

19:34 - OBJECTS PASS THROUGH THE FAMILY

19:37 - AND ORIGINATE WITH JOSEF AND

19:39 - ELISABETH EASTER. AND THEIR

19:41 - DIRECT FAMILY MEMBERS. SO THIS

19:44 - IS VERY EXCITING TO US TO FIND

19:46 - THAT THE STORIES IN THIS ROOM

19:49 - ACTUALLY WERE ACCURATE. AND

19:51 - THEN WE MADE ANOTHER DISCOVERY.

19:52 - WE NOTICE THAT THIS TEA TABLE.

19:55 - WHICH BELONG TO THE HOUSTON

19:56 - FAMILY ALLEGEDLY IS ALSO

19:59 - PICTURED. AND A PORTRAIT OF

20:03 - ELIZABETH EASTER, WHICH WE ALSO

20:05 - HAVE HERE IN THE ROOM. UPON

20:07 - CAREFUL INSPECTION, WE BELIEVE

20:09 - THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME.

20:10 - SO THAT JUST FURTHER VERIFIES

20:13 - OUR FINDINGS THAT THESE ITEMS

20:15 - DID, IN FACT BELONG TO THE

20:16 - HOUSTON FAMILY.

20:23 - I'M NOW IN THE TRANSPORTATION

20:24 - GALLERY AT THE BERKS HISTORY

20:26 - CENTER LOCATED IN THE LOWER

20:28 - LEVEL OF OUR MUSEUM. AND NEXT

20:30 - TO ME IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE

20:32 - ARTIFACTS. A HORSE DRAWN STREET

20:35 - CAR. NOW THIS IS FROM.

20:39 - PROBABLY ABOUT 18 70'S OR 18

20:41 - 80'S. WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE 18

20:44 - 88, THESE RIVER TIRE AND

20:46 - REPLACED WITH ELECTRIC POWERED

20:48 - STREET CARS, BUT BASICALLY THE

20:50 - WAY WORK WAS IT OPERATED ON

20:52 - RAILS AND WAS PULLED BY A TEAM

20:54 - OF FORCES TO GET PEOPLE TO AND

20:57 - FROM WITHIN THE CITY OF READING

21:00 - ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE OFTEN

21:01 - GET ASKED IS HOW DID YOU GET

21:03 - THIS CAR DOWN HERE INTO WHAT

21:06 - IS ESSENTIALLY A BASEMENT?

21:09 - THERE'S AN EXPLANATION.

21:11 - THE BUILDING WERE IN WAS

21:13 - ORIGINALLY SMALLER. THERE WAS

21:15 - AN ADDITION BUILT IN 1988 PRIOR

21:18 - TO THAT ADDITION, IT WAS A

21:20 - LITTLE BIT EASIER TO ACCESS

21:21 - THIS LOWER LEVEL AND THEY WOULD

21:23 - HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING THE

21:24 - CAR. AND AT THAT TIME CAR

21:26 - ACTUALLY ARRIVED IN 1957,

21:29 - HOWEVER, WITH THE ADDITION.

21:32 - IN 1988 THE CAR IS NOW SO

21:35 - ESSENTIALLY TRAPPED HERE AND

21:37 - THE LOWER LEVEL.

21:40 - WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A GREAT PLACE

21:41 - TO DISPLAY IT. AND ONE OF THE

21:43 - THINGS I REALLY ENJOY, IT'S

21:44 - WHEN PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE,

21:46 - THEY'RE SHOCKED TO SEE SUCH A

21:48 - LARGE ITEM DOWNSTAIRS. AND I

21:51 - NEVER GET TIRED OF SEEING THE

21:53 - LOOK OF AMAZEMENT ON PEOPLE'S

21:54 - FACES WHEN THEY SEE IT. WE'RE

21:57 - ALSO JUST EXTREMELY FORTUNATE.

21:59 - THE THIS SURVIVED BECAUSE IN

22:01 - GENERAL, ONCE A STREET CAR WAS

22:03 - RETIRED, THERE WAS NO USE FOR

22:05 - IT. AND IT WAS CUT UP FOR

22:06 - SCRAP.

22:09 - WE ALSO CONESTOGA WAGON HERE IN

22:12 - ERATH LOWER LEVEL.

22:14 - KIND OF STOWED AWAY. GUNS WERE

22:16 - ESSENTIALLY THE TRACTOR TRAILER

22:18 - OF THE 17, 100'S AND 18.

22:19 - 100'S A GREAT WAY TO MOVE HEAVY

22:22 - FREIGHT OVER LONG DISTANCES.

22:26 - WAS NOT FAST.

22:28 - ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO METHODS

22:30 - WE USE TODAY, BUT IT WAS THE

22:32 - BEST WAY THEY HAD, PARTICULARLY

22:34 - THE 1700'S FROM MOVING FREIGHT

22:37 - THIS PARTICULAR WAGON IS

22:39 - ESPECIALLY SPECIAL TO US

22:41 - BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY GOOD

22:42 - DOCUMENTED HISTORY. ON ITS USE.

22:45 - IT CAME FROM ONLY FURNACE WHICH

22:48 - WAS LOCATION. I MENTIONED

22:50 - EARLIER IN THE TOR AND WOULD

22:52 - HAVE PROBABLY BEEN USED FOR

22:53 - HAULING CHARCOAL IRON ORE

22:56 - THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT CAME

22:59 - TO US IN THE 1920'S. SO IT'S

23:01 - ALREADY BEEN IN OUR COLLECTION

23:03 - FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS.

23:07 - BERKS COUNTY WAS ALSO AN

23:09 - IMPORTANT CENTER OF CAN NOW AND

23:11 - RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.

23:14 - OUR CANALS FIRST ARRIVED IN

23:15 - 18. 25 WITH THE OPENING OF WHAT

23:18 - WAS CALLED THE SCHUYLKILL

23:19 - NAVIGATION OR THE SCHOOL CAN

23:21 - NOW WHICH RAN PARALLEL TO THE

23:23 - SCHUYLKILL RIVER A FEW YEARS

23:25 - AFTER THAT, WE ALL SAID THE

23:26 - UNION CAN NOW WHICH CONNECTED

23:28 - THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER VALLEY

23:30 - WITH THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER

23:31 - VALLEY.

23:33 - WITH THE CANALS, YOU SUDDENLY

23:36 - COULD GO FROM A LOAD OF 6 OR

23:39 - 7 TIMES TO 2025 30 TIMES.

23:43 - IT STILL WAS NOT FAST BUT

23:45 - ALLOWED FOR MUCH MORE.

23:48 - MUCH GREATER CAPACITY LOADS.

23:52 - IN THE 18 30'S, WE STARTED

23:54 - SEEING THE ARRIVAL OF RAILROADS

23:56 - TO BERKS COUNTY BY FAR EVERYONE

23:58 - KNOWS BEST. THE READING

24:00 - RAILROAD FROM MONOPOLY. THE

24:02 - READING RAILROAD ORIGINALLY

24:04 - BEGAN AS THE PHILADELPHIA AND

24:05 - READING RAILWAY THEN OFFICIALLY

24:08 - BECAME THE READING COMPANY IN

24:09 - THE 1920'S. IN THIS CASE, WE

24:12 - HAVE ARTIFACTS FROM BOTH THE

24:15 - CANALS AND THE READING

24:17 - RAILROAD. WE ALSO HAD A

24:20 - PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD TRACK

24:21 - IN BERKS COUNTY. IN FACT, IT

24:23 - WAS INTERESTING THE READING

24:24 - ROADS, MAINLINE RAN FROM

24:26 - PHILADELPHIA UP THE SCHUYLKILL

24:28 - RIVER. 2. THE COAL REGIONS ON

24:33 - WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WEST

24:34 - SIDE OF SCHUYLKILL RIVER.

24:36 - THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.

24:38 - BUILT THEIR OWN TRACK GOING

24:41 - FROM PHILADELPHIA TO THE COAL

24:42 - REGIONS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE

24:45 - SCHUYLKILL RIVER. SO THOSE 2

24:47 - RAILROAD LINES WHICH TENDED TO

24:48 - BE COMPETITIVE.

24:51 - VERY MUCH HAD COMPETING RIGHTS

24:53 - OF WAY ALONG THE SCHUYLKILL

24:55 - RIVER. AND WE HAVE ARTIFACTS

24:57 - THAT TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

24:59 - BOTH OF THOSE RARE ROADS HERE

25:00 - AT THE BERKS HISTORY CENTER.

25:05 - I'M NOW STANDING IN WHAT WE

25:06 - CALL OUR TRADES TO INDUSTRY

25:08 - ROOM. IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE

25:10 - TALK ABOUT. AGRICULTURE COTTAGE

25:13 - INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURING, ALL

25:16 - OF WHICH WERE VERY, VERY

25:17 - PROMINENT IN BERKS COUNTY.

25:19 - I THINK I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY

25:21 - THAT BERKS COUNTY HAD A VERY

25:24 - STRONG.

25:26 - MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND WE

25:28 - PRODUCED ALL KINDS OF PRODUCTS.

25:31 - THIS EXHIBIT REALLY IS MEANT

25:33 - TO DEMONSTRATE THAT BY SHOWING

25:36 - THE DIVERSITY OF PRODUCTS THAT

25:39 - WERE PRODUCED HERE.

25:43 - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING

25:45 - US TODAY ON THIS BRIEF TOUR

25:47 - OF THE BERKS HISTORY CENTER

25:48 - IN READING PENNSYLVANIA, THIS

25:50 - REALLY WAS JUST A SMALL

25:51 - SAMPLING OF WHAT WE HAVE TO

25:53 - OFFER. SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO

25:54 - COME VISIT US AT YOUR

25:56 - CONVENIENCE OR VISIT US AT OUR

25:59 - WEBSITE, WHICH IS WWW DOT BERKS

26:02 - HISTORY DOT ORG. WE THANK YOU

26:04 - AND HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON.