A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
Trinity Church, most important Lutheran Church in this country, is a
fine example of Georgian architecture, northwest corner of Sixth and
Washington Streets; was built, 1791. Christ Protestant Episcopal
Cathedral, Gothic, brownstone; built in 1864; architect, Potter, New
York; has good windows. The Reading Museum and Art Gallery, Eighth and
Washington Streets, has a good collection of paintings, representing
foreign and American artists, including sixty paintings given by Mrs.
William Littleton Savage, as memorial to her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
George DeBenneville Keim, and other works of art and natural history; it
is open free to the public. The Historical Society of Berks County, 38
North Fourth Street, has a good historical collection. Among the notable
artists who have lived in Reading are Christopher H. Shearer,
represented in permanent collection at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts, Philadelphia; Benjamin F. Austrian, noted still-life painter, born
here, 1870; James A. Benade, landscape; F. D. Devlan, animal painter and
cartoonist; during the Civil War he furnished many cartoons for Frank
Leslie’s illustrated newspaper; George Seiling, mural decorator, born in
Bavaria, 1818, his paintings are in St. James’ Church, “The
Transfiguration,” and Calvary Church, “Christ Bearing the Cross.”
Calvary Reformed Church has stone mosaic decoration in chancel by H.
Hanley Parker.
Charles Evans Cemetery, acquired by gift in 1864, has Gothic gateway,
dark sandstone; made in 1847; architects, Calver & Hall, Philadelphia;
the chapel is brownstone, Gothic, built, 1854; architect, John M. Gries,
who was a major in the Union Army, killed in battle of “Fair Oaks”; here
is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, with bronze tablets; erected,
1889.
Reading was the resort of many fugitives families from Philadelphia
while British were there in the winter of 1776-77, and became the scene
of much gayety. General Mifflin, afterwards governor, had his country
seat at Cumru, three miles southeast of Reading, now used as the County
Almshouse and Hospital buildings. In the different wars of this country
Berks County men were among the first to offer their services; the
Ringgold Light Artillery, Captain James McKnight, is said to have been
the first company that reported at Harrisburg in response to President
Lincoln’s Proclamation in 1861, and was one of five Pennsylvania
companies to arrive first at Washington in defense of the Capital.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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