Reading, << REHD ihng >> (pop. 95,112; met. area pop. 428,849), is a city on the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania. The city lies in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch region. It is surrounded by fertile valleys that are noted for fruit growing, poultry production, and dairy farming.
Reading is a center for agriculture-related businesses, including the farming of mushrooms and the production of pretzels and candy. Other products of the city include electronic components and specialty steels. The Reading area is a regional center for banking, insurance, and engineering services.
The city is the home of Albright College and Alvernia University. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is in the area, and the Berks campus of Pennsylvania State University is also nearby.
The Schuylkill River, the Schuylkill Canal, and the Reading Railroad played an important role in the development of Reading as a regional transportation center in the early 1800’s. Today, the city receives rail freight service from the Norfolk Southern Railway. Commuter airplanes link Reading Regional Airport with East Coast airports. An extensive system of highways, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike, serves the area.
Reading was designed in 1748 under the direction of two sons of William Penn, the English Quaker who founded Pennsylvania. It was named for Reading, England, the ancestral home of the Penn family. During the American Revolution (1775-1783), military supplies for the Continental Army were stored in Reading. During the war, the city also was a hospital center and prison camp. Reading became a borough in 1783 and a city in 1847.
The city of Reading has a mayor-council form of government. It is the seat of Berks County.
