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Reading, Pennsylvania

Located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Reading was founded in 1748. The Reading Railroad in Monopoly is named after the real railroad based in Reading, PA. Reading was named the poorest city of its size in 2011 by the Census Bureau.
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Founded 1748 | Population 95,000 | Peak 95,000 (2024) | County Berks County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Reading, Pennsylvania

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1748 Founded by Thomas Penn: Named for Reading, England.
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1828 Reading Railroad: Famous railroad immortalized in Monopoly board game.
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1870 Industrial Peak: Iron, steel, and textile manufacturing hub.
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2011 Poorest U.S. City: Census data names Reading poorest city of its size.
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2023 Revival Efforts: Downtown revitalization and arts scene growing.
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Latest News in Reading

Apr 23, 2026
Gen Z Is Ditching Smartphones for Flip Phones and Typewriters — And Parents Are All In
In a world where our thumbs are practically fused to glowing rectangles, a quiet rebellion is brewing. Gen Z, the generation raise…
May 13, 2016
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups Seasonal Candy Becomes Epic Fail
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – Back in May 2016, what was supposed to be a fun twist on a classic American treat quickly soured for …
Apr 28, 2016
Anti Trade Message Trump Targets Reagan Democrats
Washington, D.C. – In the thick of the 2016 presidential race, Donald Trump zeroed in on a key group of voters with his shar…
Apr 17, 2016
Pennsylvania Cop Shoots 12 Year Old Girl While Serving Eviction Notice
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — On a tense April 17, 2016, a police officer shot a 12-year-old girl during a routine eviction notice delivery,…
Apr 6, 2016
Trump and Clinton Leading Super Tuesday Polls
Washington, April 6, 2016 – As the 2016 presidential primaries rolled on, recent polls painted a clear picture of Donald Trump a…
Mar 28, 2016
Man Threatens Congressman Backing Hillary Clinton
Washington, DC – On March 28, 2016, a man was arrested after making explicit threats against a congressman who had publicly endo…

Complete Historical Timeline

1748 Culture
Founded by Thomas Penn
1828 Transport
Reading Railroad
1870 Industry
Industrial Peak
2011 Business
Poorest U.S. City
2023 Business
Revival Efforts

Did You Know?

1
The Reading Railroad in Monopoly is named after the real railroad based in Reading, PA.
2
Reading was named the poorest city of its size in 2011 by the Census Bureau.
3
The city has a growing arts and food scene driven by its large Latino community.
4
Reading is located in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
5
Reading was founded in 1748.

Famous People from Reading, Pennsylvania

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John Updike
Writer, Poet · Born Mar 18, 1932 · Died Jan 27, 2009 (age 76)
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Keith Haring
Photographer, Writer · Born May 4, 1958 · Died Feb 16, 1990 (age 31)
WS
Wallace Stevens
Writer, Lawyer · Born Oct 2, 1879 · Died Aug 2, 1955 (age 75)
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Chad Hurley
Businessperson, Entrepreneur · Born Jan 24, 1977 · Age 49
JB
John Barrasso
Physician, Politician · Born Jul 21, 1952 · Age 73

Other Cities in Pennsylvania

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Philadelphia
Pop. 1,603,797
P
Pittsburgh
Pop. 302,971
A
Allentown
Pop. 125,000
E
Erie
Pop. 95,000
UD
Upper Darby
Pop. 85,000
S
Scranton
Pop. 77,000
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