The Pagoda at Night

One of the Waymarking categories that I just recently noticed (there are a LOT of categories!) is called Scenic at Night with a one line teaser that states "Find and photograph the places that look their best when the sun goes down."  Without thinking, I KNEW the exact spot to go to take pictures for this category.  The Reading Pagoda sits 682 feet above the city of Reading.  The view there during the day is beautiful but the view at night is breathtaking.  So, I enlisted Bill to be my driver up the windy road.  We got to the top and were absolutely amazed that the parking area was filled, there was a parking space being vacated and we quickly grabbed that one and waited for it to get dark enough to make my photos qualify.

In case anyone is not familiar with our Pagoda, it has become a symbol of our city, a weird landmark which is actually listed on Roadside America.  In the early 1900s, a man named William Witman was quarrying Mount Penn and apparently knew he was ruining the area for the city residents.  So, he decided to add the unusual Pagoda and turn it into a luxurious resort to try to repair some of his damage.  However, some of the city fathers were a little concerned about Witman's true reason for wanting to create a resort.  Seems that Witman was a bit of a bad boy and the city feared that he was really intending to create a brothel.  The Pagoda got built, was denied a liquor license, was foreclosed on by the bank and then was sold to the city of Reading for $1.

The city has used it for various things over the years.  One of the neatest is that it notifies children on Christmas Eve that Santa is on his way.  The Pagoda lights blink when they have been notified that Santa's sled has been spotted and a city full of excited kids can relax and go to bed.

Today, you can go inside during very limited hours and get some really interesting souvenirs.  When postcards were my obsession, I would get really good ones there.  You can climb the 87 steps to the top of the building for another terrific view for the price of $1.  There is a penny smasher, one of my granddaughter, Puppy Kisses, obsessions and a snack bar.  The walk up the steps is another history lesson as there are posters and pictures galore.

We go to the Pagoda often.  It is a fun place to drive

 to, the views are good, the interior is interesting and the kids love it.  So this night visit was fun since we don't go there too often after dark.