Reading, Pennsylvania is a diverse city with much to offer those moving there. There are many sites in Reading that are said to be haunted -- like a castle, a covered bridge and even the airport. Aside from the scary, there are many sweet things there too. The mechanical ice cream scoop, the York Peppermint Patty and the 5th Avenue Candy Bar were all invented in Reading. Some other interesting facts are that Reading has a lot of Dutch history, but the city was named after Reading, England where the Penn family (as in Pennsylvania) hailed from, and German was a prominent language spoken in Reading well into the 1950s.
Economy:
Manufacturing heavy machinery was once big business in Reading, The city's namesake; Reading Railroad once carried anthracite coal from Northeastern Pennsylvania to Reading and to other cities located along the Schuylkill River. Now, agriculture is the leading industry in Reading. In the 1970s, the country's first outlet mall opened its doors in Reading. Today, outlet shopping is a very important driver in Reading's economy. As in many parts of the United States, the housing market in Reading is down and unemployment figures are up. On average, though, the cost of living is greater than 22 percent less than in the remainder of the country. With all of these exciting opportunities, it's no wonder Reading moving companies are so busy.
Tourism:
Every March, Reading sizzles with real live jazz at the annual Berks Jazz Festival. Anytime throughout the year you can catch live musical performances from the Reading Symphony Orchestra or the city's opera company. There are also many galleries and museums featuring a wide variety of art. Theatrical performances are abound in Reading too. If sports are more your bag, you can watch a Reading Phillies Minor League Baseball game. Hockey fans will love going to a Reading Royals game. If you get hungry, it will be easy to find one of the many pretzel bakeries the state of Pennsylvania is known for. You won't want to miss a visit to the city's Pagoda – created in 1908 in the fashion of an authentic Japanese pagoda. There is an observation deck in the tower where you can look out all over the city.
History:
Reading was founded in 1743 by Richard and Thomas Penn – grandsons of Sir William Penn and sons of William Penn. The city was officially established in 1748. The city's growth was largely related to its iron production. In 1899, the Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company were established. The company became Vanity Fair in 1911, which is a large clothing manufacturer that is commonly known as the VF Corporation. Vanity Fair's original factory locations were reinvented to become the VF Outlet Village – which is the aforementioned first outlet mall in the U.S.