Smagers
Dinner Theater in Mt. Penn ... come home to Smagers for the
holidays, to see a fun twist to the holiday classic, "Miracle
on 34th Street - Here's Love"! For more information, click here
or here,
or call 610-779-9660. Smagers Dinner Theater, St. Lawrence Avenue in
Mt. Penn.
Below: Among the many
recreational facilities in Exeter is this riverside trail.
Access to the trail is along Gibraltar Road.
Below: Exeter Township's
police department and municipal offices are located in this modern
township building at Fairlane and DeMoss Roads.
Below: Still an active
meeting house, the Exeter Meeting House was an early gathering place
for township Quakers. It is one of Exeter's important historic
sites!
Below: The Exeter Community
Library occupies the first floor, and community events are held on
the upper level of the Dunn Community Center in Exeter. The
barn was built around 1868 and was recently renovated for its
present use.
THE FACTS: Exeter was
Oley when Berks was Philadelphia! Settled around 1718, Exeter
Township didn't exist as such for many more years. Shortly
after Oley Township was formed in 1740, a group of about 50 families
in a section of Oley sought to form their own township. Mostly
all Quakers, these folks petitioned Philadelphia County (there was
no Berks County until 1752) to define and establish what would
become Exeter Township
on December 7, 1741. The name is attributed to George Boone, a
prominent citizen whose family hailed from a village near Exeter,
England.
THE FIGURES: While its
growth continues virtually unabated, Exeter's "official"
population hovers at about 17,500. Within its 25.1 square
miles are rolling hills and farmland, sprawling horse farms, busy
shopping, distribution, industrial, and business centers; and
countless housing developments and apartment complexes. Exeter
surrounds the borough of St. Lawrence, which is included in the
Exeter Township School District. The borough also participates
in several other cooperative ventures with Exeter, including the
Exeter Community Library.
THE FUN STUFF: Two
names quite prominent in Exeter history are also quite
prominent in American history. The Lincoln family moved
from England to America in 1733 and settled in Exeter
Township. One of their descendants was a chap who went on to
some success on the national level - a chap whose face you see on
money quite often - Abraham Lincoln. And, another fellow went
on from his humble childhood in Exeter to become a page or two in
American history books. On November 2, 1734, a little boy was
born on a farm in what is now Exeter Township. Mr. and Mrs.
Boone named their son Daniel.
Speaking of prominent people from Exeter's past (and present), the
township has an interesting connection in the golf world. The
legendary Byron Nelson (who won 11 consecutive PGA tournaments in
1945) was once the course professional at the Reading Country Club
in Exeter. And, LPGA Hal of Fame golfer Betsy King is a
graduate of Exeter Township High School. Exeter Township also
has some fascinating road quirks (the facts that E. 35th and E.36th
Streets and W. 46th and W. 47th Streets intersect
notwithstanding). Coursing through the township is the
peculiarly-named Oley Turnpike Road. It received that name
because it was really a turnpike that led to Oley. Laid out in
1755, it became a ten-mile long toll road in 1862. There were
four tollgates located along the route, which became a free highway
in 1925. And, if you've ever wondered about the street that
parallels the modern Perkiomen Avenue through Reiffton, wonder no
more. It was the course of the old trolley line that ran
through Exeter from 1904 to 1934. And, that "Reiffton"
bus stop kiosk at 36th Street? An old trolley line
stop!
Thanks to WEEU's Charles J. Adams III for help
in compiling this material.
34 North Fourth Street, Reading, PA 19601
Phone: 610-376-7335 Fax: 610-376-7756
E-mail: weeu@weeu.com
