Penn's Common
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 20.103 W 075° 54.951
18T E 422206 N 4465348
Who owns this land?????
Waymark Code: WM8RV
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/11/2006
Views: 23
Marker Text:
Given in common to the citizens of Reading, in 1748, by the family of William Penn.
When Reading was first laid out (1749) 85 acres where referred to the Commons. An open space that belonged to the town. So they thought! In 1800 William Penn's 2 sons, Thomas and Richard where paid $440 for the (now 60 acres) common area, paid by the county.
Early uses of the Common Area - washing cloths, the springs had soft water, unlike the river and some of the wells. Animals where grazed, hay was cut, hangings, there's a graveyard (maybe Hessians from the war and paupers and crimmals), there was an iron mine entrance and Civil War Battalion Days. (soliders camped here and played soldier)
These were some of the old uses. Today there are War monuments, playgrounds, statues, and the band shelter. Also when they had horse patrols the horse where kept here.
Marker Name: Penn's Common
County: Berks
Date Dedicated: 02/16/1951
Marker Type: City
Location: Perkiomen Ave. (Business U.S. 422 westbound) at 11th & Penn Sts., Reading
Category: Government & Politics, Government & Politics 18th Century, William Penn
Website: Not listed
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