City of Reading history

After the completion of the Schuylkill Canal in 1825, Reading became connected with Philadelphia and the Delaware River.

In 1833, only a few years after the canals’ completion, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was founded, rendering the canals almost obsolete.

There was a massive railroad strike in 1877 because of delayed salaries.

Development of the textile and hosiery industry was started about 1900 by two German technicians, Ferdinand Thun and Henry Janssen, who installed the first braiding and knitting machine in the country.

James Maurer, after years of toiling to organize a viable political party, finally saw his efforts pay dividends with the election of socialists to public office, starting with his win of a seat in the Pennsylvania State Assembly in 1910.

But the major triumph for Maurer and the Socialist party in Reading would come in 1927 with socialists winning the mayoralty, two city council seats (one of which was won by Maurer), the city controller job, and two school board posts.

By 1930, it was a bustling city of 111,000, making it the nation’s 76th largest—slightly outsizing Miami, Florida and Sacramento, California.

At its peak in 1935, after years of organizing, the Socialist party in Reading counted 6,774 registered voters.

In 1974 Reading became the site of the world’s first multi-tenant manufacturers’ outlet (opened by women’s lingerie manufacturer Vanity Fair), and outlet stores and malls continue to play a prominent role in the local economy.

The Consolidated Railroad Corporation acquired the Reading Company’s railroad interests in 1976.

Several years later and on a more recent history in 2006, the Schuylkill River caused another flood.