25 Years AgoApril 4, 1990 >> In appreciation for his generosity and service to the community, Herb Gebely was inducted as an honorary member of the Hamburg Exchange Club.
Kristian Nygard, 16, a junior at Hamburg Area High School, has been selected to perform in the State Orchestra concert to be given April 7 at the Founders Hall in Hershey.
Cadet James Hartman, Hamburg class of 1985, was recently chosen as a member of the Black Knights Sport Parachute Team at West Point. He is one of 16 members selected from approximately 300 original applicants.
Kelley Forcier and Jennifer Putt will be the captains for the 1990 Hamburg girl’s soccer team.
50 Years AgoApril 1, 1965 >> Twenty-six North Berks Exhibitors will participate in the ninth annual Modern Living Show which will open in the Hamburg Field House tonight and continue through Sunday. The event is sponsored by the Greater Hamburg Business Association.
Four hundred persons attended the annual fashion show sponsored by the Hamburg Business and Professional Women’s Club in the parish hall of St. Mary’s on Saturday night.
“Your Cheatin’ Heart” starring George Hamilton as “Hank Williams” will be featured at the Strand this week.
Here’s our Best Color TV Buy of the Year! 3 Days only–$466.00 for a Zenith Color TV at Grim’s TV, 112 South Fourth Street, Hamburg.
Special for the Week: Children’s Polo Shirts-75 cents each at Hamburg Hosiery Sales Company, 215 Pine Street.
Freeman’s Superette Specials This Week: Ham Slices-89 cents a lb.; Smoked Ham-53 cents a lb.; Ten Rolls Bathroom Tissue-97 cents; Large Bag Naval Oranges-69 cents; Asparagus-29 cents a lb.
75 Years AgoMarch 28, 1940 >> Funeral services for George L. Snell, North Fifth Street, Hamburg, who was killed in an automobile collision on Rt. 122, between Hamburg and Shoemakersville, at 7:10, Thursday evening, were held in the Leibensperger Funeral Home, Hamburg. Snell, a former machinist in the Snell & Meharg Shop (now the Allen-Sherman-Hoff Company), Grand Street, Hamburg, was 56 years, 2 months and 10 days, was a son of the late John H. and Annie F. Snell.
Founded as a four-page Saturday edition in April, 1875, the Item is the oldest Berks County weekly published continuously under its original title. Samuel A. Focht was the first publisher The Item and this English competitor of the Schnellpost for almost a decade was originally printed in Windsor Twp. Publisher Heinly built the old frame Item building on South Third Street, Hamburg in April 1891. Fire in November 1903, gutted the office and plant and destroyed all old file copies, but the structure was remodeled to serve its purpose again for more than a quarter century until November 27, 1930 when the plant was moved into the imposing concrete block building at Third and State Streets. This two-story structure housed a modern print shop on the second floor; a store room, office and press room on the street level.
Mr. Heinly died December 29, 1931. Trustees of the Heinly estate operated the plant until February 1934 when it was sold to J.W. Mapoles, a newspaper broker, Millard A. Stofflet, purchased Mr. Mapole’s interests in March 1934 and moved to this borough.
100 Years AgoApril 1, 1915 >> The value of the treatment of patients at the Sanatorium is now beginning to show results. During the past week nearly 50 patients were permitted to return to their homes, either entirely cured or so much improved that future care and cautions will complete the cure.
Robert P. Rentschler, of Shartlesville, the local representative of the Maxwell motor car, sold and delivered a 1915 touring car to David E. Baver, east of town, last Thursday.
Mosey Brownmiller exhibited the trotting abilities of his famous sorrel to a large party of horsemen at the Washington House on Monday afternoon. The squares from State to Walnut Street were converted into a race course.
The Early Files are compiled every week by Peggy Sterner for The Hamburg Area Item.
