Berks County (

Pennsylvania German The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...

: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...

. The

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It f ...

, a tributary of the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...

, flows through Berks County. The county is part of the Reading, PA

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA), which is included in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

-Reading- Camden, PA- NJ- DE- MD

combined statistical area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

(CSA).

History

Reading developed during the 1740s when inhabitants of northern Lancaster County sent several petitions requesting that a separate county be established. With the help of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

immigrant

Conrad Weiser Conrad Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760), born Johann Conrad Weiser, Jr., was a Pennsylvania Dutch (German) pioneer who served as an interpreter and diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native American nations. Primarily a f ...

, the county was formed on March 11, 1752, from parts of

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West Eng ...

, Lancaster County, and

Philadelphia County Philadelphia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the most populous county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, Philadelphia County had a population of 1,603,797. The county is the second smallest county in Pennsyl ...

. It was named after the English county in which

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

's family home lay,

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Ber ...

, which is often abbreviated to Berks. Berks County began much larger than it is today. The northwestern parts of the county went to the founding of Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811, when it reached its current size. In 2005, Berks County was added to the

Delaware Valley The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan region on the East Coast of the United States that comprises and surrounds Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation and 68th largest city in the world as of 2020. The toponym Delaware Val ...

Planning Area due to a fast-growing population and close proximity to the other communities. In 2016, former Strausstown borough merged with Upper Tulpehocken township. Strausstown is now a village within Upper Tulpehocken Township.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.1%) is water. Most of the county is drained by the

, but an area in the northeast is drained by the

Lehigh River The Lehigh River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania. The river flows in a generally southward pat ...

via the

Little Lehigh Creek Little Lehigh Creek is approximately long and is located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. It is sometimes referred to as the Little Lehigh River. It is the largest tributary of the Lehigh River. The creek flows in a windin ...

and areas are drained by the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

via the

Swatara Creek Swatara Creek (nicknamed the Swatty) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in east-central Pennsylvania in the United Sta ...

in the northwest and the

Conestoga River The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the cen ...

(which starts in Berks County between Morgantown and Elverson) in the extreme south. It has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(''Dfa'' except for some ''Dfb'' on Blue Mountain at the northern boundary and on Mount Penn) and the

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is mostly 6b, with 6a in some higher areas, and 7a along the Schuylkill in the southeastern part of the county.

Major roads and highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Adjacent counties

* Schuylkill County (north) * Lehigh County (northeast) * Montgomery County (east) *

(southeast) * Lancaster County (southwest) *

Lebanon County Lebanon County ( Pennsylvania Dutch: Lebanon Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is the city of Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphi ...

(west)

National protected area

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural iron plantation, whose operations were based around a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast fur ...

State protected area

French Creek State Park French Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County alo ...

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the county was 76.9% White non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 16.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Historically there is a large

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...

population. It is known as part of

Pennsylvania Dutch Country The Pennsylvania Dutch Country ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Deitscherei'' Dutchery', also called Pennsylvania Dutchland ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Pennsylvania Deitschland'', german: Pennsylvania Deutschland), or simply the Dutch Country or Dutchland ( ...

. There were 411,442 people, 154,356 households, and 106,532 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 164,827 housing units at an average density of . According to Muninet Guide's 2010 analysis, the median household income for Berks County is $54,105. There were 154,356 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males. Berks County is home to an

Old Order Mennonite Old Order Mennonites (Pennsylvania German: ) form a branch of the Mennonite tradition. Old Order are those Mennonite groups of Swiss German and south German heritage who practice a lifestyle without some elements of modern technology, who still d ...

community consisting of about 160 families, located in the East Penn Valley near Kutztown and

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830s, when the principal lando ...

. The Old Order Mennonites first bought land in the area in 1949. In 2012, Old Order Mennonites bought two large farms in the

Oley Valley The Oley Valley is a valley northeast of Reading, Pennsylvania. It covers all of Oley, Pike, Ruscombmanor, Alsace, and part of Exeter Township. The valley is drained by Manatawny and Pine Creeks, and is a part of the Schuylkill River system. A ...

. The Old Order Mennonites in the area belong to the

Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church The Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church, also called Wenger Mennonites, is the largest Old Order Mennonite group to use horse-drawn carriages for transportation. Along with the automobile, they reject many modern conveniences, while allowing ele ...

and use the

horse and buggy ] A horse and buggy (in American English) or horse and carriage (in British English and American English) refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two ...

as transportation. There are several farms in the area belonging to the Old Order Mennonite community and meetinghouses are located near Kutztown and Fleetwood.

2020 census

Metropolitan and Combined Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated Berks County as the Reading, PA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census the metropolitan area ranked 10th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 128th most populous in the United States with a population of 413,491. Berks County is also a part of the larger

Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan region on the East Coast of the United States that comprises and surrounds Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation and 68th largest city in the world as of 2020. The toponym Delaware Vall ...

(CSA), which combines the populations of Berks County as well as several counties around

and in the states of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

. The

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

is the largest in the State of Pennsylvania and 8th most populous in the United States with a population of 7,067,807.

Government

County Commissioners

* Christian Leinbach, Chair Republican * Kevin Barnhardt, Vice Chair Democrat * Michael S. Rivera, Republican

State Senate

Judy Schwank Judith Schwank (born 1951) is an American politician. A Democrat, she was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate from the 11th district in a special election on March 15, 2011 to succeed the late Michael O'Pake. The district includes the city of R ...

, Democrat,

Pennsylvania Senate, District 11 Pennsylvania State Senate District 11 includes parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, Berks County. It is currently represented by Democratic Party (United States), Democrat Judy Schwank. District profile The district includes the following areas: ...

Bob Mensch Robert Mensch (born August 27, 1945) is an American politician. A Republican, served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 24th district from 2009 to 2022. He previously served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Rep ...

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Pennsylvania Senate, District 24 Pennsylvania State Senate District 24 includes parts of Berks County and Montgomery County. It is currently represented by Republican Bob Mensch. District profile The district includes the following areas: Berks County * Amity Township * ...

Dave Argall David G. Argall, Ph.D. (born November 21, 1958) is a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, elected in a special election on March 3, 2009 following the death of fellow Republican James J. Rhoades. He was elected a member of the Pennsylvania H ...

Pennsylvania Senate, District 29 Pennsylvania State Senate District 29 includes part of Luzerne County and all of Carbon County and Schuylkill County. It is currently represented by Republican Dave Argall. District profile The district includes the following areas: All of ...

Katie Muth Katie J. Muth is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 44th District. Her district includes portions of northeastern Chester and southwestern Montgomery and Berks Counties. ...

, Democrat,

Pennsylvania Senate, District 44 Pennsylvania State Senate District 44 includes parts of Berks County, Chester County, and Montgomery County. It is currently represented by Democrat Katie Muth. District profile The district includes the following areas: Berks County: Chest ...

State House of Representatives

Barry Jozwiak Barry J. Jozwiak (born December 21, 1945) is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 5th district made up of parts of Berks County Berks County ( Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Commonwealt ...

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 5 The 5th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is in southeastern Pennsylvania and has been represented by Barry Jozwiak since 2014. District profile Located in Berks County, the 5th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District include ...

Jerry Knowles Jerome P. Knowles (born July 30, 1948) is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 124th legislative district. He was first elected in a special election in May, 2009 to fill the vacancy left by Dave Arg ...

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 124 The 124th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and Schuylkill County and includes the following areas: * Berks County Berks County ( Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Comm ...

Mark Rozzi Mark Rozzi (born April 30, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving since January 2, 2013. He represents the 126th district. In addition to serving as a ...

, Democrat,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 126 The 126th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and includes the following areas: * Laureldale * Lower Alsace Township * Mount Penn * Muhlenberg Township * Reading (PART) ** Ward 06 ART, Division 03** Wa ...

Thomas R. Caltagirone Thomas R. "Tom" Caltagirone (born October 30, 1942) is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He represented the 127th District ( Reading, Berks County) and was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and ...

, Democrat,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 127 The 127th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and includes the following areas: * Kenhorst * Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by ...

Mark Gillen Mark M. Gillen (born November 6, 1955) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. In 2010, he was elected to represent the 128th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The seat had been vacated by Republican Sam ...

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 128 The 128th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and Lancaster County and includes the following areas: *Berks County ** Brecknock Township ** Caernarvon Township ** Cumru Township ** Exeter Township (PA ...

* Jim Cox,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 129 The 129th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania and has been represented since 2023 by Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz. District profile The 129th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is locate ...

* David Maloney,

, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 130 * Ryan Mackenzie,

, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 134 * Gary Day,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 187 The 187th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Southeast Pennsylvania and has been represented since 2023 by Ryan Mackenzie. District profile The 187th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Lehig ...

United States House of Representatives

* Madeleine Dean, Democratic, Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district *

Chrissy Houlahan Christina Marie "Chrissy" Houlahan ( ; née Jampoler; born June 5, 1967) is an American politician, engineer, and former United States Air Force officer. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the U.S. representative from . The district includ ...

, Democratic,

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is a district in the state of Pennsylvania. It includes all of Chester County, the city of Reading, and Reading's southeastern suburbs in Berks County. The district is represented by Democrat Chrissy H ...

Dan Meuser Daniel Philip Meuser ( ; born February 10, 1964) is an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist who is the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. A Republican, he previously served as the secretary of re ...

, Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district

Politics

As of November 7, 2022, there are 267,274 registered voters in Berks County. * Democratic: 112,712 (42.17%) *

: 110,695 (41.42%) *

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

: 31,960 (11.96%) *

Minor parties A minor party is a political party that plays a smaller (in some cases much smaller, even insignificant in comparison) role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so great ...

: 11,907 (4.45%) The first time since 1964 that a Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in November 2008, with

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

receiving 53.9% of the vote to

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

's 44.7%. The other three statewide winners (

Rob McCord Robert Maxwell McCord (born March 5, 1959) is an American former politician and convicted felon. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2015. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic n ...

for treasurer, Jack Wagner for auditor general, and

Tom Corbett Thomas Wingett Corbett Jr. (born June 17, 1949) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 46th governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1995 t ...

for attorney general) also carried it. While Republicans have controlled the commissioner majority most of the time and continue to control most county row offices, Democrats have become more competitive in Berks in recent years. In the 2012 Presidential election,

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts ...

carried the county by approximately a one-percent margin, 49.6% to 48.6%, however, in 2016,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

carried Berks by a much larger margin of 52.9% to 42.7%.

Education

Map of Berks County Pennsylvania School Districts

Colleges and universities

Albright College Albright College is a private liberal arts college in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1856. History Albright College traces its founding to 1856 when Union Seminary opened. Present-day Albright was formed by the mergers of several ins ...

Alvernia University , mottoeng = To Learn, To Love, To Serve , established = 1958 , type = Private , affiliation = Franciscan Roman Catholic , president = John R. Loyack , city = Reading , state = Pennsylvania , country = U.S. , students = 2,900 (1,500 unde ...

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Highe ...

Penn State Berks Penn State Berks is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Spring Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. History First known as Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Penn State Berks became part of the Penn State syste ...

Reading Area Community College Reading Area Community College (RACC) is a public community college in Reading, Pennsylvania. The college was founded in 1971 and serves the greater Reading area and Berks County, Pennsylvania. The institution is an Hispanic-serving institution ...

Public school districts

School districts include: * Antietam School District *

Boyertown Area School District The Boyertown Area School District is a large public school district which covers portions of Berks and Montgomery Counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. When the Boyertown Area School District was formed in 1953 it was one of the largest in the ...

Brandywine Heights Area School District The Brandywine Heights Area School District is a small, rural public school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It serves the Borough of Topton and District Township, Longswamp Township and Rockland Township in Berks County, Penns ...

Conrad Weiser Area School District The Conrad Weiser Area School District is located in western Berks County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A tiny portion extends into Lancaster County. This district serves South Heidelberg Township, Heidelberg Township, North Heidelbe ...

* Daniel Boone Area School District *

Exeter Township School District The Exeter Township School District is a small suburban public school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The District serves two municipalities southeast of Reading, the Borough of St. Lawrence, and Exeter Township. In 2009, the D ...

Fleetwood Area School District Fleetwood Area School District is a public school district located in north central Berks County in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania Fleetwood, also called ''Schlegelschteddel'' in Pennsylvania Dutch, is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The ...

Governor Mifflin School District The Governor Mifflin School District is located in southern Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. Schools The district comprises 6 schools, located throughout the district. Governor Mifflin Senior High School servin ...

Hamburg Area School District The Hamburg Area School District is a small, rural/suburban public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the communities of Shoemakersville, Perry Twp, Windsor Twp, Hamburg, Tilden Twp, Upper Bern Twp ...

Kutztown Area School District The Kutztown Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the communities of Kutztown, Lyons, Maxatawny Township, Greenwich Township, Lenhartsville, and Albany Township. It feat ...

Muhlenberg School District The Muhlenberg Area School District is a mid-sized, suburban, public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately . P ...

Oley Valley School District Oley Valley School District is a school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It serves the townships of Alsace, Oley, Pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yello ...

Reading School District Reading School District is a large, urban public school district that serves the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. The Reading School District encompasses approximately . According to 2010 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 88, ...

Schuylkill Valley School District Schuylkill Valley is a school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The name derives from the Schuylkill River, which flows through the valley where the district is located. Geography Schuilkill Valley is located in southeastern Penns ...

Tulpehocken Area School District The Tulpehocken Area School District is a school district located in northwestern Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district serves three different schools. Penn-Bernville Elementary and Bethel Elementary are the two elementary schools that enroll ...

Twin Valley School District Twin Valley School District (TVSD) is a school district headquartered in Caernarvon Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, with an Elverson postal address. Profile page- Compare to the addressThe zoning map published by the township Within Berks Co ...

Upper Perkiomen School District Upper Perkiomen School District is located in the northern corner of Montgomery County and the eastern corner of Berks County in Pennsylvania. The district comprises the townships of Upper Hanover and Marlborough and the boroughs of East Gr ...

* Wilson School District *

Wyomissing Area School District Wyomissing Area School District is a diminutive, suburban, public school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The Wyomissing Area School District encompasses approximately . The district is the smallest one operating in Berks County. ...

Private high schools

* Berks Christian School in Birdsboro * Blue Mountain Academy, a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

boarding school in Tilden Township * Conestoga Christian School in Morgantown, Pennsylvania * Fairview Christian School in Reading * Gateway Christian School in Mertztown * The King's Academy in Mohrsville *

Berks Catholic High School Berks Catholic High School is a four-year comprehensive coeducational Roman Catholic preparatory secondary school located in Reading, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It was formed out of a merger of Holy Name High School and Reading Central C ...

in Reading * Lighthouse Christian Academy in Lyons

Technical and trade schools

* Berks Technical Institute * Pace Institute * Reading Hospital School of Nursing * Berks Career and Technology Center (east campus in Oley, west campus in Leesport)

Arts and culture

The

Reading Public Museum The Reading Public Museum is a museum in West Reading, Pennsylvania. The museum's permanent collection mainly focuses on art, science, and civilization. It also has a planetarium and a arboretum. Collection The museum's art collection contai ...

is an art, science, and history museum. The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps are an all-age drum corps based in Berks County. The corps, founded in 1957, is a charter member

Drum Corps Associates Drum Corps Associates (DCA) is a governing body for modern all-age and senior drum and bugle corps in North America. DCA's responsibilities include sanctioning competitions, certifying adjudicators, maintaining and enforcing rules of competition, ...

and an 11-time DCA World Champion. Reading is home to Berks Opera Company, founded in 2007 as Berks Opera Workshop. There are two Pennsylvania state parks and a Natural Area in Berks County. * Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center is south of

on land once owned by Jacob Nolde, a prominent Reading businessman and Pennsylvania environmentalist. *

, a former

Recreational Demonstration Area The Recreational Demonstration Area program (also known as the Recreation Demonstration Area program) was a National Park Service program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on , chiefly near urb ...

, straddles the Berks and Chester County line. * Ruth Zimmerman Natural Area, part of the William Penn Forest District in Oley. There are two Pennsylvania Historic Sites in Berks County. *

Conrad Weiser Homestead The Conrad Weiser Homestead was the home of Johann Conrad Weiser, who enlisted the Iroquois on the British side in the French and Indian War. The home is located near Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. A designated Na ...

near Womelsdorf *

Daniel Boone Homestead The Daniel Boone Homestead, the birthplace of American frontiersman Daniel Boone, is a museum and historic house that is administered by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead near Birdsboro in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is located o ...

near Birdsboro The Old Morlatton Village in Douglassville is maintained by the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County. The village is composed of four historic structures: White Horse Inn, George Douglass Mansion, Bridge keeper's House, and the Mouns Jones House, constructed in 1716, which is the oldest recorded building in the county. West Reading in home to the annual ''Art on the Avenue'', which reached its 25th year in 2019.

Media

Berks County has been home to several media sources, including: * Berks Community Television (BCTV) * ''

Reading Eagle The ''Reading Eagle'' is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania. A family-owned newspaper until the spring of 2019, its reported circulation is 37,000 (daily) and 50,000 (Sundays). It serves the Reading and Berks County region of ...

'', a daily printed newspaper based in Reading, Pennsylvania * WEEU, a local AM radio station * WFMZ, a Local news channel that has offices in Berks County and covers South Eastern Pennsylvania * WRFY-FM - (102.5 FM "Y102"), a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Reading, Pennsylvania

Communities

Map of Berks County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

boroughs A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

townships A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

, and

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...

. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County:

City

(county seat)

Boroughs

* Adamstown (mostly in Lancaster County) * Bally *

Bechtelsville Bechtelsville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 942 at the 2010 census. Geography Bechtelsville is located at (40.370078, -75.628590). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all lan ...

* Bernville * Birdsboro *

Boyertown Boyertown (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Boyerschteddel'') is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,055 at the 2010 census. Boyertown is known for the many painted fiberglass bears that can be found throughout the town and borou ...

* Centerport *

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

* Kenhorst * Kutztown *

Laureldale Laureldale is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,911 at the 2010 census. Geography Laureldale is at (40.389293, -75.914150). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , al ...

* Leesport * Lenhartsville *

Lyons Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

* Mohnton * Mount Penn * New Morgan *

Robesonia Robesonia is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,061 at the 2010 census. Once famous for its iron furnaces (c. 1794-1927), the town was founded in 1855 by Henry P. Robeson, who had acquired existing iron ...

* St. Lawrence * Shillington * Shoemakersville * Sinking Spring * Topton * Wernersville * West Reading * Womelsdorf *

Wyomissing Wyomissing is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The borough was established on July 2, 1906. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,114, compared to 10,461 at the 2010 census. The growth was significantly larger betwe ...

Townships

* Albany *

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

* Amity *

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

Bethel Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanc ...

* Brecknock * Caernarvon *

Centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

* Colebrookdale * Cumru *

District A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...

* Douglass *

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particu ...

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester, England, Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. ...

* Jefferson * Longswamp *

Lower Alsace Lower Alsace (northern Alsace) was a landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire held ''ex officio'' by the Bishop of Strasbourg. Prior to is acquisition by the bishopric, it was held by the counts of Hüneburg. In 1174 Count Gottfried of Hüneburg ...

* Lower Heidelberg * Maidencreek * Marion * Maxatawny * Muhlenberg * North Heidelberg * Oley * Ontelaunee * Penn *

Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also mad ...

* Pike *

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

* Robeson * Rockland * Ruscombmanor * South Heidelberg *

Spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a h ...

* Tilden * Tulpehocken * Union * Upper Bern * Upper Tulpehocken *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

Census-designated places

Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

s are geographical areas designated by the

for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well. * Alleghenyville * Alsace Manor * Amity Gardens * Baumstown *

* Blandon * Bowers * Colony Park * Dauberville * Douglassville * Dryville *

Edenburg Edenburg is a town situated about south of Bloemfontein in the Free State province of South Africa. , it had a population of 14,566. Background Edenburg was proclaimed a town in 1863 and received municipal government in 1891. The town is 85 ...

* Flying Hills * Fox Chase * Frystown *

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibr ...

* Gouglersville * Greenfields * Grill *

* Hyde Park * Jacksonwald * Kempton *

Kutztown University Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher ...

Lincoln Park Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US President Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for seven miles (11 km) from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, ...

* Lorane * Mertztown * Mohrsville * Montrose Manor * Morgantown * Mount Aetna * Muhlenberg Park * New Berlinville *

New Jerusalem In the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible, New Jerusalem (, ''YHWH šāmmā'', YHWH sthere") is Ezekiel's prophetic vision of a city centered on the rebuilt Holy Temple, the Third Temple, to be established in Jerusalem, which would be the ...

* New Schaefferstown * Oley * Pennside * Pennwyn * Rehrersburg * Reiffton * Riverview Park *

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

* Shartlesville * South Temple * Springmont * Spring Ridge * Stony Creek Mills * Stouchsburg *

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

* Virginville * Walnuttown * West Hamburg * West Lawn * West Wyomissing * Whitfield

Unincorporated communities

* Brownsville * Blue Marsh * Cacoosing * Geigertown * Leinbachs * North Heidelberg * Pine Swamp * Plowville * Pricetown * Scarlets Mill * State Hill *

Strausstown Strausstown is a village and former borough located in Upper Tulpehocken Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 342 at the 2010 census. Geography and history Strausstown is located at (40.492053, -76.184102). According to ...

* Wooltown

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Berks County. † ''county seat'' CDP=''census designated population''

Notable people

William Addams William Addams (April 11, 1777 – May 30, 1858) was an American politician who served as a Pennsylvania State Representative and United States Congressman, serving two terms in the U.S. House from 1825 to 1829. Life and career Addams was bo ...

, former U.S. Congressman *

Priscilla Ahn Priscilla Ahn (born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft; March 9, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She released her single "Dream" from her debut album, '' A Good Day'', produced by Joey Waronker for EMI's Blue Note Reco ...

, folk musician, singer, and songwriter *

John Barrasso John Anthony Barrasso III ( ; born July 21, 1952) is an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wyoming, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Wyoming State ...

, U.S. Senator * Douglas Carter Beane, playwright *

Chad Billingsley Chad Ryan Billingsley (born July 29, 1984) is an American former professional baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from through and Philadelphia Phillies in . He was a Nat ...

, former professional baseball player,

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...

and

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

, American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman * Kenny Brightbill, professional race car driver *

Steve Burns ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

, musician and former ''

Blue's Clues ''Blue's Clues'' is an American live-action/animated children's television series, created by Angela C. Santomero, Todd Kessler, and Traci Paige Johnson, that premiered on Nickelodeon as part of its Nick Jr. block on September 8, 1996, and ...

'' host *

James Henry Carpenter James Henry Carpenter (September 14, 1846 – March 6, 1898) was a 19th-century American engineer and industrialist who founded the Carpenter Steel Company (renamed in 1968 as the Carpenter Technology Corporation). Born in Brooklyn, New Yor ...

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

sailor, officer, founder of

Carpenter Technology Corporation Carpenter Technology Corporation develops, manufactures, and distributes stainless steels and corrosion-resistant alloys. In fiscal year 2018, the company's revenues were derived from the aerospace and defense industry (55%), the industrial and ...

Jack Coggins Jack Banham Coggins (July 10, 1911 – January 30, 2006) was an artist, author, and illustrator. He is known in the United States for his oil paintings, which focused predominantly on marine subjects. He is also known for his books on space tra ...

, illustrator, author and artist, lived in Boyertown from 1948 to 2006 * Rocky Colavito, former Major League Baseball player *

Kerry Collins Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, ...

, professional football player (Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders, Titans, and Colts) * Michael Constantine, actor, star of ''

Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969 until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 ( EST) fo ...

'' and ''

My Big Fat Greek Wedding ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia Vardalos, who also stars in the film as Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with White Anglo-Saxo ...

'' *

Amy Cuddy Amy Joy Casselberry Cuddy (born July 23, 1972) is an American social psychologist, author and speaker. She is a proponent of "power posing", a self-improvement technique whose scientific validity has been questioned. She has served as a faculty ...

, Harvard psychologist and TED Talks speaker * Lisa Eichhorn, actress * Wayne Ellington, NBA Basketball Player *

Carl Furillo Carl Anthony Furillo (March 8, 1922 – January 21, 1989), nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" and "Skoonj", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), spending his entire career with the Brooklyn / ...

, former professional baseball player,

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

* John Henry Gilmore, Jr., former professional football player,

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

, and

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

Jon Gosselin Jonathan Keith Gosselin (born April 1, 1977) is an American former television personality, previously known for his appearances with former wife Kate Gosselin and their eight children on the American reality TV show '' Jon & Kate Plus 8''. Earl ...

, reality television personality, ''

Jon & Kate Plus 8 ''Jon & Kate Plus 8'', later known as ''Kate Plus 8'', is an American reality television series starring Kate Gosselin, Jon Gosselin, and their eight children, which ran from April 4, 2007 to July 24, 2017. History After the success of two ...

'' * Kate Gosselin, reality television personality, ''

'' *

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his wor ...

, former artist *

Chad Henne Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan. While there, Henne became only the second true freshman st ...

, football professional football player,

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

Chris Hero Chris Spradlin (born December 24, 1979), better known by his ring name Chris Hero, is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor as a producer. Hero has worked for a number of independent wrestling pr ...

, professional wrestler *

Joseph Hiester Joseph Hiester (November 18, 1752June 10, 1832) was an American politician, who served as the fifth governor of Pennsylvania from 1820 to 1823. He was a member of the Hiester family political dynasty, and was a member of the Democratic-Republic ...

, governor of

1820–1823 * Tommy Hinnershitz (1912–1999), auto racing pioneer *

Chad Hurley Chad Meredith Hurley (born January 24, 1977) is an American webmaster and businessman who serves as the advisor and former chief executive officer (CEO) of YouTube. He also co-founded MixBit. In June 2006, he was voted 28th on Business 2.0's "5 ...

, co-founder of YouTube *

Mildred Jordan Mildred Jordan (March 18, 1901 – October 23, 1982) was an American writer and playwright. Born in Chicago, she worked at the Hull House before relocating to Reading, Pennsylvania after her marriage. Her first novel, ''One Red Rose Forever'', whic ...

(1901–1982), novelist *

Chip Kidd Charles Kidd (born 1964) is an American graphic designer known for book covers. Early childhood Born in Shillington in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up being fascinated and heavily inspired by American popular culture. Comic books w ...

(born 1964), book jacket designer at

Knopf Publishing Group Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers i ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

(1744-1786), grandfather of 16th U.S. president

Matt Lytle Matthew Lytle (born September 4, 1975) is a former American football quarterback of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a street free agent in 2000. He played college football at Pittsburgh. Lytle was also ...

(born 1975), professional football player * Donyell Marshall, former NBA player *

James H. Maurer James Hudson Maurer (April 15, 1864 – March 16, 1944) was a prominent American trade unionist who twice ran for the office of Vice President of the United States on the ticket of the Socialist Party of America. Biography Early years James H. ...

(1864-1944), Labor leader and two-time Vice Presidential nominee *

Kelly McGillis Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American stage actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in ''Witness'' (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in ''Top Gun'' (1986); ''Made in ...

, actress, '' op Gun/Witness/The Accused' * Gordon McKellen, Jr., former U.S. figure skating champion and Hall of Fame member *

Morton L. Montgomery Morton Luther Montgomery (1846–1933) was a native-born Pennsylvanian and Harvard-trained lawyer who became a respected military and public historian and author of more than a dozen books, lecture-related content and other materials documenting t ...

(1846–1933), Reading attorney and author of multiple history books about Berks County * Lenny Moore, NFL Hall of Fame * Thomas Morris, Democratic politician, served in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

Jillian Murray Jillian Murray is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Portlyn on ''Sonny with a Chance'', Olivia on MTV's '' Awkward'', Gwen Adams in '' American High School'', Lex Mitchell in '' Forget Me Not'', Brandi Cox in '' Wild Things: Fo ...

(b. June 4, 1989), model and actress *

Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg II (September 25, 1887 – January 19, 1980) was a leading architect, an American military and political leader who served as a US Congressman from Pennsylvania, and a member of the Muhlenberg political dynasty. ...

, architect, founder of

Muhlenberg Greene Architects Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd. is a full-service architecture firm, in continuous operation since 1920, and was one of the predominant architecture/engineering firms in Reading, Pennsylvania, during the first half of the 20th century. Muhle ...

, American military and political leader 1887–1980 * Jacob Nolde, conservationist * Bodo Otto, Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (1711–1787) * William Sands, U.S. Medal of Honor winner (Civil War)"Sands, William", in
Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (S-Z)
. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center of Military History, retrieved online October 6, 2018. *

Martin Cruz Smith Martin Cruz Smith (born November 3, 1942) is an American mystery novelist. He is best known for his nine-novel series (to date) on Russian investigator Arkady Renko, who was first introduced in 1981 with '' Gorky Park''. Early life and educat ...

, novelist *

Carl Spaatz Carl Andrew Spaatz (born Spatz; June 28, 1891 – July 14, 1974), nicknamed "Tooey", was an American World War II general. As commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe in 1944, he successfully pressed for the bombing of the enemy's oil produc ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

general *

Wallace Stevens Wallace Stevens (October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955) was an American modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, educated at Harvard and then New York Law School, and spent most of his life working as an executive for an insurance compa ...

, major American Modernist poet, October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955 *

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...

(born 1989),

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

-winning country/pop singer-songwriter * Ross Tucker, professional football player *

John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth Tar ...

, writer, 1932–2009 *

Lonnie Walker Lonnie Walker IV (born December 14, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In high school, he was named Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball and earned McDonald's All-Americ ...

, NBA player *

Gus Yatron Constantine "Gus" Yatron (October 16, 1927 – March 13, 2003) was an American businessman, boxer, and politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district from ...

, former

congressman A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...

from Pennsylvania

Footnotes

External links

* {{coord, 40.42, -75.93, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1752 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1752

History

Geography

Major roads and highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected area

Demographics

2020 census

Metropolitan and Combined Statistical Area

Government

County Commissioners

State Senate

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United States House of Representatives

Politics

Education

Colleges and universities

Public school districts

Private high schools

Technical and trade schools

Arts and culture

Media

Communities

City

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Notable people

See also

Footnotes

Further reading

External links