Reading was incorporated on September 15, 1783 (as a borough) and on March 16, 1847 (as a city). Upon the creation of Berks County in 1752, Reading became the county seat.
Reading’s nicknames are: “Baseballtown” • “Pretzel Capital of the World” • “Pretzel City”. Reading is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. Located in the southeastern part of the state, it is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area, home to 420,152 residents, and is furthermore included in the greater Delaware Valley.
The mechanical ice cream scoop was invented in Reading by William Clewell in 1876. The 5th Avenue candy bar was introduced in Reading in 1936 and York Peppermint Pattie were invented in Reading in 1940 by the Hershey Company.