Reading Hardware Company, Industrial heritage complex in Reading, Pennsylvania.
The Reading Hardware Company site comprises five brick buildings and a manufacturing facility stretched along South 6th Street and Canal Street. The structures display a mix of older and newer construction methods, reflecting how the complex expanded and adapted over several decades.
The industrial site emerged in the second half of the 19th century when Pennsylvania became a center for metalworking production. The complex grew over multiple generations as new buildings were added to meet changing market demands.
The layout shows how workers moved through different production areas, with each section handling specific stages of hardware manufacturing. Walking through the grounds, you can sense how the spatial arrangement once connected the daily work routines of many employees.
The complex sits in Reading's industrial neighborhood with straightforward access from the main streets running through the area. Visitors can explore the exterior grounds and view the buildings from outside, though many remain in active use or are restricted from interior access.
The grounds display two distinct building eras side by side: solid red brick structures from the founding period stand alongside concrete buildings added later. This visual contrast tells the story of how construction techniques and production methods transformed during a single operating period.
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