Just a few tidbits of Reading, KS. First, almost my entire family lived or has lived in Reading, KS. My great grandfather and his brothers built the catholic church in Reading and farmed the land. My aunt was the postmaster. When I was a young girl we lived there for a short time and our house was two doors down from my grandmother.
It used to be a pretty little farming town with many establishments. I remember the main street had Reading Bank, a notions/fabric store, two restaurants (one which was owned and run by my grandmother in the past). There was a "general" store which had galvonized tubs, farm tools, seeds, etc. The grocery store was across the street next to the other restaurant and some kind of store that had knick/knacks and another bank. One of the restaurants had booths with individual juke boxes (a small box that you put money into and picked what music you wanted to listen to). There was a post office somewhere in between those buildings. There was also an elementary school and a high school of which my cousins and some friends attended and graduated. One graduate is now a physician in nearby Emporia.
Along with the Catholic church there was a Methodist church. There are two cemetaries one which Catholic that seems to be filled with my relatives of days gone by. (May they rest in peace) My aunt and uncle owned the only gas station in town and it was in their front yard! He sold penny candy in jars inside. After about 1964 they moved the station to the highway that came into town but not through main street. {I sometimes wondered if that's what caused Reading to go down.}
There was a large park which was named after my uncle and many cute little houses. I would guess the population of Reading proper in the late 1960s would have been maybe 800 people. There were many farms whose families came into Reading for Reading Days which was a street party with a little carnival, food and all sorts of things (I can't remember all of them but remember the freedom of being able to wonder around freely without parental supervision! yea!).
I have fond memories of Reading and feel sad when I go back now. It's been two years since I've been there as most of my relatives have either died or moved and the Catholic church is no longer used as a church. The "first family" (my aunt and uncle) of Reading are gone and I do think they were instrumental in keeping Reading the viable little town it was back in the day.
I hope this helps you and that you have fun on your "Reading" journey. Happy Trails!
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Please tell me about Reading, Kansas
Please tell me about Reading, KS
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