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64-735: Swatara Creek (nicknamed the Swatty ) is a 72-mile-long (116 km) tributary of the Susquehanna River in east-central Pennsylvania in the United States . It rises in the Appalachian Mountains in central Schuylkill County and passes through northwest Lebanon County before draining into the Susquehanna at Middletown in Dauphin County . The name "Swatara" is said to derive from

128-530: A Susquehannock word, Swahadowry or Schaha-dawa , which means "where we feed on eels". Ancient Native Americans built dozens of eel- weirs , V-shaped rock barriers designed to funnel eels to facilitate capture, on the Susquehanna and its tributaries. Swatara Creek rises in the Appalachian Mountains in central Schuylkill County, on Broad Mountain north of the Sharp Mountain ridge, approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of Minersville . It flows southwest in

192-719: A Japanese-style pagoda was built on Mount Penn, where it overlooks the city and is visible from almost everywhere in town. The Pagoda remains a popular tourist attraction. Reading's City Park is home to several monuments and works of public art, including the Frederick Lauer Monument . Another fixture in Reading's skyline is the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower , one mile from the Pagoda on Skyline Drive. Built in 1939 for fire department and forestry observation,

256-525: A few miles south of Harrisburg , the state capital. Railroads forced the abandonment of the canals by the 1880s. The naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading in 1823. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad (P&R) was incorporated in 1833. During the Long Depression following the Panic of 1873 , a statewide railroad strike in 1877 over delayed wages led to a violent protest and clash with

320-570: A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame , was born in Reading. The open-wheel racing portion of Penske Racing had been based in Reading, Pennsylvania since 1973 with the cars, during the F1 and CART era, being constructed in Poole , Dorset, England as well as being the base for the F1 team. On October 31, 2005, Penske Racing announced after the 2006 IRL season, they would consolidate IRL and NASCAR operations at

384-400: A new river, to be given its own name, perhaps one already known to the people who live upon its banks. Conversely, explorers approaching a new land from the sea encounter its rivers at their mouths, where they name them on their charts, then, following a river upstream, encounter each tributary as a forking of the stream to the right and to the left, which then appear on their charts as such; or

448-445: A population of 95,112. Of which, 68.9% were Hispanic/Latino, 18.9% were non-Hispanic White, 8.5% were non-Hispanic Black, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Pacific Islander, and 2.9% mixed or other. As of the 2010 census, the city was 48.4% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 6.1% were two or more races. 58.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of

512-841: A project of Penn State Berks , are programs intended to provide office space and support to entrepreneurs in the area. According to the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest employers in the Berks county area as of 2017 were: The city's cultural institutions include the Reading Symphony Orchestra and its education project the Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra , the Reading Choral Society, Opus One: Berks Chamber Choir , Berks Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra, Vox Philia Chamber Choir,

576-506: A subsequent financial endowment upon his death in 1847, which provided for future improvements to the grounds, the cemetery became a primary gathering point for annual Memorial Day activities from the late 19th through the late 20th centuries due to the presence of the Grand Army of the Republic monument, which was dedicated there in 1887. In the early 20th century, the city participated in

640-562: A winding course, passing south of Tremont , then cutting south through the ridges of Sharp Mountain and Second Mountain . It passes through Swatara State Park then turns south to pass through Swatara Gap in the Blue Mountain ridge northwest of Lebanon . After emerging from the ridge the creek flows southwest, north of Hershey , past Hummelstown , and joins the Susquehanna at Royalton, in Middletown . It receives Quittapahilla Creek from

704-457: Is 23.0 °F (−5.0 °C), but it is quite common for winter temperatures to undergo much variance from the averages. The all-time record low air temperature (not including wind chill) was −20 °F (−29 °C) during a widespread cold wave in January 1994 . Annual snowfall is variable, but averages around 25 inches (64 cm). Spring temperatures vary widely between freezing temperatures and

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768-508: Is a Northrop P-61 Black Widow under active restoration since its recovery from Mount Cyclops, New Guinea in 1989. Beginning in 1990, the museum has hosted "World War II Weekend Air Show", scheduled to coincide with D-Day . On display are period wartime aircraft (many of which fly throughout the show) vehicles, and weapons. The mechanical ice cream scoop was invented in Reading by William Clewell in 1876. The 5th Avenue candy bar and York Peppermint Pattie were invented in Reading. In 1908,

832-542: Is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania , United States. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 census and is the fourth-most populous city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia , Pittsburgh , and Allentown . Reading is located in the southeastern part of the state and is the principal city of the Greater Reading area , which had 420,152 residents in 2020. Reading gives its name to

896-520: Is located at 40°20′30″N 75°55′35″W  /  40.34167°N 75.92639°W  / 40.34167; -75.92639 (40.341692, −75.926301) in southeastern Pennsylvania , roughly 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Philadelphia . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km ). 9.8 square miles (25 km ) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ) of it (2.39%)

960-656: Is part of a national and statewide water trail system, providing outdoor recreation for families canoeing and kayaking a 60-mile (97 km) segment that connects to the Susquehanna River and Captain John Smith water trails. Three water companies — Suez Water Pennsylvania, American Water, and the Lebanon Water Authority — draw drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents of the Swatara watershed. Two ships in

1024-448: Is variable, but relatively mild compared to areas further north. The Reading area falls under the southern periphery of the hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ), with areas just to the south designated as a humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa ). Summers are warm and humid with average July highs around 86.5 °F (30.3 °C). Extended periods of heat and high humidity occur. On average, there are 27 days per year where

1088-510: Is water. The city is largely bounded on the west by the Schuylkill River , on the east by Mount Penn, and on the south by Neversink Mountain. The Reading Prong , the mountain formation stretching northeast into New Jersey , has come to be associated with naturally occurring radon gas; however, homes in Reading are not particularly affected . The surrounding county is home to a number of family-owned farms. The climate in and around Reading

1152-644: The GoggleWorks Art Gallery, the Reading Public Museum and the Historical Society of Berks County . Reading is the birthplace of graphic artist Jim Steranko , guitar virtuoso Richie Kotzen , novelist and poet John Updike , and poet Wallace Stevens . Marching band composer and writer John Philip Sousa , the March King, died in Reading's Abraham Lincoln Hotel in 1932. Artist Keith Haring

1216-520: The Schuylkill River . A similar, though not as devastating, flood occurred during June 2006. In December 2007, NBC 's Today show featured Reading as one of the top four "Up and Coming Neighborhoods" in the U.S. as showing potential for a real estate boom. The interviewee, Barbara Corcoran , chose the city by looking for areas of big change, renovations, cleanups of parks, waterfronts, and warehouses. Corcoran also noted Reading's proximity to Philadelphia , New York City, and other cities . Reading

1280-509: The United States Navy have been named USS Swatara after the creek: Tributary A tributary , or an affluent , is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ( main stem or "parent" ), river, or a lake . A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean . Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they flow, drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater , leading

1344-414: The 80s or even 90s (around 30 °C) later in spring. The last killing frost usually is in early to mid April. Total precipitation for the entire year is 45.21 inches (114.8 cm). January is the only month averaging below freezing while two to three months average above 22 °C (71.6 °F) and seven-months average above 50 °F (10 °C). As of the 2020 United States census , Reading had

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1408-521: The Arts features eight teaching studios in ceramics, hot and warm glass, metalsmithing, photography, printmaking, woodworking and virtual reality; 35 juried artist studios; and headquarters of over 40 cultural organizations. GoggleWorks also includes several exhibition galleries, a 130-seat film theatre, a bar/restaurant, and store featuring handcrafted works by over 200 artists working within the building and beyond. Admission and parking are always free. The building

1472-662: The Harpers Tavern gauge, 24.6 feet (7.5 m) was recorded, making it the worst flooding since 1889. The flooding caused thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes throughout central Pennsylvania, and at least one death. Several covered bridges once crossed Swatara Creek, including the Fiddler's Elbow Covered Bridge, built 1862, near Hummelstown and Clifton Covered Bridge, built 1870, near Middletown , both destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The Sand Beach Covered Bridge burned down in 1966 by arson. Today, Swatara Creek

1536-512: The National Guard in which six Reading men were killed. The Reading Brewing Company was also established around this same time, and was officially chartered in 1886. The Charles Evans Cemetery is the non-sectarian cemetery where many of the city's prominent business and community leaders have been buried since the cemetery's opening in the 1840s. Established through the donation of land by Reading attorney and philanthropist Charles Evans and

1600-701: The United States. The team most recently played in the first PDL Championship in team history in 2018. Notable alumni include multiple players with United States men's national soccer team experience, including Matt Hedges , Alex Bono , CJ Sapong , Ben Sweat , and Keegan Rosenberry . Over 110 alumni from the team have gone on to play soccer professionally. The city has been the residence of numerous professional athletes. Among these native to Reading are Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder Carl Furillo , Baltimore Colts running back Lenny Moore , and Philadelphia 76ers forward Donyell Marshall . Pro golfer Betsy King ,

1664-405: The average family size was 3.33. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males. The median income for a household in the city

1728-399: The burgeoning automobile and motorcycle industry as home to the pioneer "Brass Era" companies, Daniels Motor Company , Duryea Motor Wagon Company , and Reading-Standard Company. Reading experienced continuous growth until the 1930s, when its population reached nearly 120,000. From the 1940s to the 1970s, however, the city saw a sharp downturn in prosperity, largely owing to the decline of

1792-410: The census of 2000, there were 30,113 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and

1856-618: The county seat. The region was settled by emigrants from southern and western Germany, who bought land from the Penns. The first Amish community in the New World was established in Greater Reading, Berks County. The Pennsylvanian German dialect was spoken in the area well into the 1950s. During the French and Indian War , Reading was a military base for a chain of forts along the Blue Mountain . By

1920-566: The early 1970s, the original factories were developed to create the VF Outlet Village , the first outlet mall in the United States. The VF Outlet closed in 2020. GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is a community art and cultural resource center located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The mission of the GoggleWorks is "to transform lives through unique interactions with art." Located in the former Willson Goggle Factory building, GoggleWorks Center for

1984-465: The east 3 mi (4.8 km) north of Palmyra . The creek was a significant transportation route in the colonial period of North America up through the late 19th century. A canal linking the Susquehanna and Delaware valleys in southeastern Pennsylvania was first proposed in 1690 by William Penn , the founder of the Pennsylvania Colony . Nearly a century passed before a route for the canal

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2048-460: The first-order tributary being typically the least in size. For example, a second-order tributary would be the result of two or more first-order tributaries combining to form the second-order tributary. Another method is to list tributaries from mouth to source, in the form of a tree structure , stored as a tree data structure . Reading, Pennsylvania Reading ( / ˈ r ɛ d ɪ ŋ / RED -ing ; ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Reddin)

2112-451: The handedness is from the point of view of an observer facing upstream. For instance, Steer Creek has a left tributary which is called Right Fork Steer Creek. These naming conventions are reflective of the circumstances of a particular river's identification and charting: people living along the banks of a river, with a name known to them, may then float down the river in exploration, and each tributary joining it as they pass by appears as

2176-700: The headwaters of Tulpehocken Creek , following Tulpehocken Creek downstream to Reading on the Schuylkill River. It was to follow the Schuylkill downriver to the Delaware River at Philadelphia. The route of the Union Canal followed the same route up Swatara Creek and continued up the creek to Union Water Works . The canal then went up Clarks Run to the summit and thence by a 729-foot (222 m) tunnel over to Lebanon . The upper course above Union Water Works into

2240-475: The heavy industry and railroads, on which Reading had been built, and a national trend of urban decline. Following more than a century of prosperity, the Reading Company was forced to file for bankruptcy protection in 1971. The bankruptcy was a result of dwindling coal shipping revenues and strict government regulations that denied railroads the ability to set competitive prices, required high taxes, and forced

2304-424: The joining of tributaries. The opposite to a tributary is a distributary , a river or stream that branches off from and flows away from the main stream. Distributaries are most often found in river deltas . Right tributary , or right-bank tributary , and left tributary , or left-bank tributary , describe the orientation of the tributary relative to the flow of the main stem river. These terms are defined from

2368-400: The mountains provided the route of a feeder to the main canal, as well as providing a route to ship anthracite from the mountains to Philadelphia. On September 8, 2011, the creek reached a record height of 26.8 feet (8.2 m) near Hershey, following devastating rains from Tropical Storm Lee and remnants of Hurricane Irene , the highest since measurements began in 1975. Farther upstream at

2432-579: The now-defunct Reading Company , also known as the Reading Railroad and since acquired by Conrail , that played a vital role in transporting anthracite coal from Pennsylvania's Coal Region to major East Coast markets through the Port of Philadelphia for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Reading Railroad is one of the four railroad properties in the classic U.S. version of the Monopoly board game. Reading

2496-406: The opposite bank before approaching the confluence. An early tributary is a tributary that joins the main stem river closer to its source than its mouth, that is, before the river's midpoint ; a late tributary joins the main stem further downstream, closer to its mouth than to its source, that is, after the midpoint. In the United States, where tributaries sometimes have the same name as

2560-476: The perspective of looking downstream, that is, facing the direction the water current of the main stem is going. In a navigational context, if one were floating on a raft or other vessel in the main stream, this would be the side the tributary enters from as one floats past; alternately, if one were floating down the tributary, the main stream meets it on the opposite bank of the tributary. This information may be used to avoid turbulent water by moving towards

2624-450: The poverty level, including 45.7% of those under 18. Reading's unemployment rate in May 2010 was 14.7%, while Berks County's unemployment rate was 9.9%. Large employers based in Reading and surrounding communities include Boscov's , EnerSys , Carpenter , Penske Truck Leasing , and Redner's Markets . Jump Start Incubator, a program of Berks County Community Foundation , and Berks LaunchBox,

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2688-419: The poverty line, or less "than the infamous 41.3% from 2011, when Reading was declared the poorest small city in the nation." Reading is located 38.8 miles (62.4 km) southwest of Allentown and 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Philadelphia. Lenape people, also known as Delaware Indians, inhabited the Reading area prior to European settlement of the region in the 17th century. The Colony of Pennsylvania

2752-457: The project was restarted and ultimately completed by its successor company, the Union Canal in 1828. From west to east, the route of the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation Company canal in 1792 was to follow Swatara Creek upstream from Middletown to Quittapahilla Creek , which it then followed upstream past Lebanon and Myerstown to its headwaters. It then crossed overland to Clarks Run at

2816-468: The railroads to continue to operate money-losing passenger service lines. On April 1, 1976, the Reading Company sold its current railroad interests to the newly formed Consolidated Railroad Corporation ( Conrail ). That same month, the Reading Brewing Company closed. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused extensive flooding in the city, not the last time the lower precincts of Reading were inundated by

2880-491: The region is an International Mountain Bicycling Association ride center. According to 2010 census data, Reading had the highest share of citizens living in poverty in the nation among cities with populations exceeding 65,000. Reading's poverty rate fell over the next decade. Reading's poverty rate in the five-year American Community Survey , published in 2018, showed that 35.4% of the city's residents were below

2944-643: The river into which they feed, they are called forks . These are typically designated by compass direction. For example, the American River in California receives flow from its North, Middle, and South forks. The Chicago River 's North Branch has the East, West, and Middle Fork; the South Branch has its South Fork, and used to have a West Fork as well (now filled in). Forks are sometimes designated as right or left. Here,

3008-418: The smaller stream designated the little fork, the larger either retaining its name unmodified, or receives the designation big . Tributaries are sometimes listed starting with those nearest to the source of the river and ending with those nearest to the mouth of the river . The Strahler stream order examines the arrangement of tributaries in a hierarchy of first, second, third and higher orders, with

3072-432: The streams are seen to diverge by the cardinal direction (north, south, east, or west) in which they proceed upstream, sometimes a third stream entering between two others is designated the middle fork; or the streams are distinguished by the relative height of one to the other, as one stream descending over a cataract into another becomes the upper fork, and the one it descends into, the lower ; or by relative volume:

3136-405: The temperature exceeds 90 °F (32 °C). Reading becomes milder in the autumn, as the heat and humidity of summer relent to lower humidity and temperatures. The first killing frost generally occurs in late October. Winters bring freezing temperatures, but usually move above freezing during the day's warmest point. The average January high is 38.6 °F (3.7 °C); the average January low

3200-486: The theatre and arena were rebranded as the Santander Performing Arts Center and Santander Arena respectively after Santander Bank purchased Sovereign. The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum is a membership-supported museum and restoration facility located at Carl A. Spaatz Field. The museum actively displays and restores historic and rare war aircraft and civilian airliners. Most notable to their collection

3264-629: The time of the American Revolution , the area's iron industry had a total production exceeding England's. There were several prominent Ironmasters like Samuel Van Leer who helped supply George Washington 's troops with cannons, rifles, and ammunition in the Revolutionary War. During the early period of the conflict, Reading was again a depot for military supply. Hessian prisoners from the Battle of Trenton were also detained here. Philadelphia

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3328-491: The time of the initial construction in 1792, Philadelphia was involved in an intense rivalry with Baltimore, Maryland , for supremacy as a shipping port. The canal was backed by Philadelphia businessmen as a means to divert commercial traffic from following the Susquehanna downriver to the Chesapeake Bay , its more natural destination. Although the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation Company project failed for lack of funds,

3392-455: The tower is 120 feet tall, and rises 950 feet above the intersection of fifth and Penn streets. From the top of the tower, it offers a 60-mile panoramic view. The Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company founded in 1899, just outside Reading city limits, in West Reading and Wyomissing boroughs changed its name to Vanity Fair in 1911 and is now the major clothing manufacturer VF Corp. In

3456-463: The water out into an ocean. The Irtysh is a chief tributary of the Ob river and is also the longest tributary river in the world with a length of 4,248 km (2,640 mi). The Madeira River is the largest tributary river by volume in the world with an average discharge of 31,200 m /s (1.1 million cu ft/s). A confluence , where two or more bodies of water meet, usually refers to

3520-424: Was $ 26,698, and the median income for a family was $ 31,067. Males had a median income of $ 28,114 versus $ 21,993 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,086. 26.1% of the population and 22.3% of families were below the poverty line. 36.5% of those under the age of 18 and 15.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 32.9% of all residents live below

3584-439: Was a 1680 land grant from King Charles II of England to William Penn . Comprising more than 45,000 square miles (120,000 km2), it was named for his father, Sir William Penn . In 1743, Richard and Thomas Penn, both sons of William Penn, mapped out the town of Reading with Conrad Weiser . Taking its name from Reading, Berkshire , England, the town was established in 1748. Upon the creation of Berks County in 1752, Reading became

3648-646: Was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The Reading Fightin Phils , minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies , play at FirstEnergy Stadium . Notable alumni are Larry Bowa , Ryne Sandberg , Mike Schmidt , Ryan Howard , and Jimmy Rollins . Reading United AC , USL League Two affiliate of the Philadelphia Union , are considered one of the top amateur soccer teams in

3712-403: Was among the nation's most-populous 100 cities in the nation from 1810 to 1950. The Schuylkill Canal , a north–south canal completed in 1825, paralleled the Schuylkill River and connected Reading with Philadelphia and the Delaware River . The Union Canal , an east–west canal completed in 1828, connected the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers , and ran from Reading to Middletown, Pennsylvania,

3776-586: Was born in Reading. In 1935, comedian Jackie Gleason began his professional career in Tiny's Chateau Nightclub, located inside Reading's Black Bear Inn. Reading is home to the 17-time DCA world champion drum and bugle corps, The Reading Buccaneers . In 1914, one of the anchors of the Battleship Maine was delivered from the Washington Navy Yard to City Park, off of Perkiomen Avenue. The anchor

3840-478: Was dedicated during a ceremony presided over by Franklin D. Roosevelt , who was then assistant secretary of the navy. Reading was home to several movie and theater palaces in the early 20th century. The Astor, Embassy, Loew's Colonial, and Rajah Shrine Theater were grand monuments of architecture and entertainment. Today, after depression, recession, and urban renewal, the Rajah is the only one to remain. The Astor Theater

3904-617: Was demolished in 1998 to make way for The Sovereign Center . Certain steps were taken to retain mementos of the Astor, including its ornate Art Deco chandelier and gates. These are on display and in use inside the arena corridors, allowing insight into the ambiance of the former movie house. In 2000, the Rajah was purchased from the Shriners . After a much needed restoration, it was renamed the Sovereign Performing Arts Center. In 2013

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3968-435: Was one of the first localities where outlet shopping became a tourist industry. It has been known as "The Pretzel City" because numerous local pretzel bakeries are based in the city and its suburbs; currently, Bachman, Dieffenbach, Tom Sturgis, and Unique Pretzel bakeries call the Reading area home. In recent years, the Reading area has become a destination for cyclists with more than 125 miles of trails in five major preserves;

4032-577: Was surveyed by David Rittenhouse and William Smith between 1762 and 1770, the first canal ever surveyed in the United States. Spurred by the 1791 discovery of anthracite in the upper Susquehanna Valley, the Pennsylvania General Assembly chartered two companies to undertake the project: the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation Company and the Delaware and Schuylkill Navigation Company . At

4096-453: Was the nation's capital at the time of the 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic . President George Washington traveled to Reading, and considered making it the emergency national capital, but chose Germantown instead. In 1809, Susanna Cox was tried and convicted for infanticide in Reading. Her case attracted tremendous sympathy; 20,000 viewers came to view her hanging, swamping the 3,000 inhabitants. According to census data, Reading

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