Penn Township

Berks County, Pennsylvania

   

Penn Township Municipal Building is located at 840 North Garfield Road, Bernville PA 19506.
Phone: 610‑488‑1160.

Beginnings [1]

Penn was formed into a township in 1841, by reducing both Bern and Upper Bern. It was so named after Father Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania. John Conrad, a member of the Moravian Church, was one of the early settlers who came into this section chiefly from the Tulpehocken settlement on the west. Many German settlers also followed the Tulpehocken from the south.

Along the Tulpehocken and the Northkill, there were erected at an early date grist mills, saw mills and various other mills. Near Bern Church, in the southern section, there was at one time a gun barrel factory. Most of the people are engaged in farming. Near Bernville there existed for many years one of the best foundries in that section of the county. At Pleasant Valley are the Gruber Wagon Works, where some of the best farm wagons in the country are built. During the life of the Union Canal, South Bernville was a great business place, where grain, lumber and coal was handled.

On Plum Creek a grist mill was operated for many years. The mill-dam covered quite an area.

The borough of Bernville lies in this township.

Obold (Mt. Pleasant) is quite a business place, having different industries.

Pleasant Valley is about one mile southeast of Obold

Scull Hill lies in the northern part of the township. It is generally called Penn Valley, and is the business centre in that section.

  1. A. E. Wagner, Ph.D., F. W. Balthaser, M.E., and D.K. Hoch, The Story of Berks County Pennsylvania, Eagle Book ad Job Press, Reading, 1913

Nearby Towns: Bern Twp • Bernville Boro • Centerport Boro • Centre Twp • Heidelberg Twp • Jefferson Twp • Lower Heidelberg Twp • North Heidelberg Twp • Robesonia Boro • Spring Twp • Upper Bern Twp • Upper Tulpehocken Twp •


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