Pottstown is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle ...

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Mon ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815. In 1888, the limits of the borough were considerably extended. Pottstown is the center of a productive farming and dairying region. Pottstown is located on the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It ...

. It is south of

Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California *Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County *Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taz ...

and northwest of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

History

Modern-day Pottstown is on land originally deeded to

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy an ...

. Germans, Swedes and English were among the area's first European settlers. After establishment of the first iron forge in 1714, Pottstown's fortunes became tied to the iron industry, and blast furnaces for production of iron and later steel eventually opened in the area. Iron and steel production attracted the Potts family, iron masters by trade. They established a forge and built a large home just west of the Manatawny Creek. John Potts founded a town in 1761 on part of the that he owned. It is the home of the nation's oldest mill,

Pottstown Roller Mill Pottstown Roller Mill is a historic roller mill located on the Schuylkill River at Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The original mill building was built in 1725. It was constructed of fieldstone, two stories tall, and three bays wide ...

. Pottsgrove grew, and in 1815 it was incorporated under the name Pottstown, becoming the second borough in Pennsylvania, after Norristown. The

Philadelphia & Reading Railroad The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and commercial rail transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states that operated from 1924 until its 1976 acquisition by Conrail. Commonly calle ...

mainline reached Pottstown in 1838. The extension of the railroad to Mount Carbon in 1842 facilitated the movement of raw materials and finished goods that helped Pottstown's economy grow. In a few years after the extension of the railroad, the population grew from 600 to 1,850. Pottstown's metal production grew; steel from the borough was used in the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a Channel ( ...

and

Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the U.S. city of San Francisco, California—the northern tip of the San Francisco P ...

. In 1944, the borough adopted a

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a " Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief ex ...

form of government. By 1964, the borough saw the need to reorganize the municipal government. At the time, it had one of the largest borough councils in the state, with 20 members. This was reduced to seven members in redrawn wards. The High Street Historic District,

Old Pottstown Historic District Old Pottstown Historic District is a national historic district located in Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses 956 contributing buildings and 1 contributing site in the central business district and surrounding residential ...

Pottsgrove Mansion Pottsgrove Manor, also known as the John Potts House, is a historic home located at Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1752 by John Potts, and is a large two-story, rectangular, sandstone and fieldstone building in the ...

Grubb Mansion Grubb Mansion is an historic home which is located in the High Street Historic District, in Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. History and architectural features Buil ...

, Jefferson Elementary School,

Reading Railroad Pottstown Station Pottstown, now referred to as the Charles W. Dickinson Transportation Center, is a bus terminal for the Pottstown Area Rapid Transit located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. The station was built in 1928 as a train station for the Reading Railroad and ...

, and

Henry Antes House The Henry Antes House is a historic house museum in Upper Frederick Township Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Built in 1736 by Henry Antes, it is a particularly high-quality example of a Moravian settlement house, with intact original inter ...

are on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

Politics and government

Pottstown has a

form of government with a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

and a seven-member borough council. The mayor is Stephanie A. Henrick and the borough manager is Justin Keller. The borough is part of the Fourth Congressional District (represented by Rep.

Madeleine Dean Madeleine Dean Cunnane (born June 6, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. The district includes almost all of Montgomery County, a suburban county north of P ...

), the 26th and 146th State House District (represented by state Rep.

Tim Hennessey Timothy F. Hennessey (born November 4, 1947) is an American attorney and politician who was a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 26th District from 1993 to 2022. Early life & education Hennessey was ...

state Rep.

Joe Ciresi Joe Ciresi (born September 15, 1970) is an American politician and Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 146th district. Located in Montgomery County, the district includes all of Limerick Township, L ...

respectively) and the 24th State Senate District (represented by Sen.

Bob Mensch Robert Mensch (born August 27, 1945) is an American politician. A Republican, served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 24th district from 2009 to 2022. He previously served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Rep ...

Geography

Pottstown is located at (40.249690, 75.640262). According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km² or 1.83%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Pottstown, Pennsylvania has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated ''Cfa'' on climate maps. Using the freezing mark as a boundary (as is more common in the US), the climate was hot-summer

humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(''Dfa'') with January averaging below freezing until the most recent temperature numbers. The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is 7a. Despite

global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in a broader sense also includes ...

heavy snow remains occasionally possible.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the borough was 72.1% White, 19.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 4.4% were two or more races. 8.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestr

As of 2006–2008 Census Bureau Estimates, there were 22,018 people living in Pottstown. The racial makeup of the borough was 72.1% White (U.S. Census), White, 19.4%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 2.2% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 5.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 21,859 people, 9,146 households, and 5,533 families residing in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 4,526.3 people per square mile (1,747.4/km²). There were 9,973 housing units at an average density of 2,065.1 per square mile (797.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 79.34% White (U.S. Census), White, 15.06%

, 0.23% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.09%

, 1.89% from

, and 2.75% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.53% of the population. There were 9,146 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02. In the borough, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $35,785, and the median income for a family was $45,734. Males had a median income of $34,923 versus $26,229 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the borough was $19,078. About 8.7% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The main east-west street in Pottstown is High Street, which continues east of the borough as

Ridge Pike Ridge Pike is a major historic road in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that opened in 1706 that originally connected Wissahickon Creek to Perkiomen Creek. Inside Philadelphia, it is called Ridge Avenue. Going westward, it traverses many eastern ...

. The main north-south street in the borough is Hanover Street. The U.S. Route 422 freeway passes to the south of Pottstown and heads east to

King of Prussia The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

and

and west to

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

Pennsylvania Route 100 Pennsylvania Route 100 (PA 100) is a long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 (US 202) near West Chester north to PA 309 in Pleasant Corners. The route runs between the western suburbs of Philadelp ...

runs north-south through the Pottstown area, heading south to West Chester and north to

Pennsylvania Route 663 Pennsylvania Route 663 (PA 663) is a state highway in Montgomery and Bucks counties in southeast Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at PA 100 in the borough of Pottstown and its northern terminus is at PA 309 and PA&n ...

begins at PA 100 in Pottstown and follows King Street east and Charlotte Street northeast before leaving the borough and continuing to Pennsburg and Quakertown.

Pennsylvania Route 724 Pennsylvania Route 724 (PA 724) is a road in the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 422 (US 422) in Sinking Spring southeast to PA 23 near Phoenixville. PA 724 travels through Berks and Chester counties. The route ru ...

runs along the south bank of the

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West En ...

. Local bus service in the Pottstown area is owned, funded, and administered by the Borough of Pottstown and operated by

Pottstown Area Rapid Transit Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART) is a public transit agency providing bus service in the Pottstown, Pennsylvania, area. It is owned by the borough of Pottstown and runs Monday through Saturday, excluding major holidays. PART provides a connecti ...

(PART). PART operates five routes Monday through Saturday out of the Charles W. Dickinson Transportation Center in downtown Pottstown along with a

paratransit Paratransit is the term used in North America, also known by other names such as community transport ( UK) for transportation services that supplement fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. ...

service for disabled people.

SEPTA The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates transit bus, bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people ...

's Route 93 bus connects Pottstown with the

Norristown Transportation Center Norristown Transportation Center is a two-level multimodal public transportation regional hub located in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA, operated by SEPTA. It opened in 1989 to replace the older Norristown High Speed Line (Route 100) terminu ...

in Norristown.

Amtrak Thruway Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, transi ...

bus service operated by Krapf Coaches connects Pottstown with the

BARTA Transportation Center Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA), previously Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, is a public transportation system serving the city of Reading and its surrounding area of Berks County, Pennsylvania. The South Central T ...

in Reading and

30th Street Station 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societies ...

in Philadelphia; the bus stops on Hanover Street near the Charles W. Dickinson Transportation Center. Pottstown is serviced by

Pottstown Municipal Airport Pottstown Municipal Airport is a public use airport located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Borough of Pottstown and located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northwest of Pottstown's central business district. ...

, a

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation service ...

airport, and a short distance from Pottstown is

Heritage Field Airport Heritage Field is a public use airport in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located three nautical miles (6 km) east of Pottstown, in Limerick Township. The airport is privately owned by Limerick Aviation LP. ...

located in

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

. Passenger train service between Reading/Pottstown and Philadelphia was operated by Conrail under the auspices of

until July 29, 1981, when all non-electrified routes were terminated. Efforts to reinstitute commuter trains, such as the

Schuylkill Valley Metro Schuylkill River Passenger Rail is a proposed passenger train service along the Schuylkill River between Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, with intermediate stops in Norristown, King of Prussia, Phoenixville, and Pottstown. Passenger trains ...

, have so far been unsuccessful. The station still exists and is currently home to a district justice office.

Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (3 ...

provides freight rail service to Pottstown along the

Harrisburg Line The Harrisburg Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Philadelphia west to Harrisburg. The Harrisburg Line was formed the day Conrail began operation ...

. The

Colebrookdale Railroad The Colebrookdale Railroad, also known as the Secret Valley Line, is a tourist railroad located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The railroad operates between Boyertown in Berks County and Pottstown in Montgomery County. Operations The Co ...

is a

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

running from Pottstown to

Boyertown Boyertown (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Boyerschteddel'') is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,055 at the 2010 census. Boyertown is known for the many painted fiberglass bears that can be found throughout the town and boroug ...

Education

Public library

* Pottstown Regional Public Library

Colleges

Montgomery County Community College Montgomery County Community College (MCCC or Montco) is a public community college in Blue Bell in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. MCCC also has two satellite locations, Pottstown Campus and Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale. It is accredited ...

– West Campus

Public school districts

* The

Pottstown School District Pottstown School District is a school district headquartered in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States. The district serves the Borough of Pottstown. History Pottstown School District is among the oldest in the state of Pennsylvania. The first ...

serves the borough. * The

Pottsgrove School District Pottsgrove School District is a school district headquartered in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania, United States.Owen J. Roberts School District The Owen J. Roberts School District is a school district located in northern Chester County, Pennsylvania. its headquarters are in South Coventry Township, with a Pottstown postal address. The school district comprises five elementary schools, ...

serves the suburban/rural area to the south of the borough in

, such as Warwick Township,

East Nantmeal Township East Nantmeal Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,803 at the 2010 census. It, along with West Nantmeal Township, was originally part of a single Nantmeal Township, which was divided in 173 ...

South Coventry Township South Coventry Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,604 at the 2010 census. History The township derives its name from Coventry, England, the native home of an early settler. Coventry Hall ...

North Coventry Township North Coventry Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,866 at the 2010 census. History The township derives its name from Coventry, England, the native home of an early settler. The Pottstown ...

East Vincent Township East Vincent Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,821 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it are land ...

East Coventry Township East Coventry Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,068 at the 2020 census. History The township derives its name from Coventry, England, the native home of an early settler. Fricks Locks H ...

and

West Vincent Township West Vincent Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,567 at the 2010 census. History The township was named after Sir Mathias Vincent. West Vincent was formed in 1832 when Vincent Township was divided. The r ...

. It consists of five elementary schools, a middle school, and the

Owen J. Roberts High School Owen J. Roberts High School is a high school in the Owen J. Roberts School District. It is located in Bucktown, in South Coventry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It has a Pottstown postal address ...

Private schools

The Hill School The Hill School (commonly known as The Hill) is a coeducational preparatory boarding school located on a campus in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about northwest of Philadelphia. The Hill is part of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization (TSAO). ...

* Wyndcroft School * Saint Aloysius School * Stowe Lighthouse Christian Academy * West-Mont Christian Academy

Media

Newspapers

Pottstown ''Mercury''

The '' Mercury'' is the smallest-circulation newspaper in the U.S. to have won two Pulitzer Prizes. The first came in 1979 in the Spot News Photography category by staff photographer Tom Kelly. The second came in 1990 for Editorial Writing by Tom Hylton.

Television

PCTV

PCTV (Pottstown Community TV) is owned and operated by the Borough of Pottstown and provides local

Government-access television Government-access television (GATV) is a type of specialty television channel created by government entities (generally local governments) and broadcast over cable TV systems or, in some cases, over-the-air broadcast television stations. GATV pr ...

(GATV) programming over

Comcast Cable Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, doing business as Xfinity, is an American telecommunications company and division of Comcast Corporation used to market consumer cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services provided by the co ...

TV in over 77,000 homes in western Montgomery County, northern Chester County and eastern Berks County. In existence since 1983, PCTV produces programming on three local Cable Channels: 22, 27 and 98. PCTV also covers local high school sports such as football, basketball, swimming or baseball.

Radio

WPAZ operates at 1370AM and serves the Greater Philadelphia Area. Originally WPAZ, the station changed its call letters to WBZH on October 28, 2011, and back to WPAZ on January 25, 2013. On November 1, 2013, the station began a traditional Christian music format of religious hymns and songs.

Notable people

Jacob Albright Jacob Albright (also spelled Jakob Albrecht; May 1, 1759 – May 18, 1808) was an American Christian leader, founder of Albright's People (''Die Albrechtsleute'') which was officially named the Evangelical Association (''Evangelische Gemeinsch ...

, a founder of

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelica ...

Aaron Beasley Aaron Bruce Beasley (born July 7, 1973) is a former American college and professional American football, football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for West Virginia Un ...

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the maj ...

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create turnove ...

for

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...

, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons *

Howie Bedell Howard William Bedell (born September 29, 1935 in Clearfield, Pennsylvania) is an American former Major League Baseball player, coach and front-office administrator. An outfielder, Bedell played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and the Philadelphi ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

outfielder for the

Milwaukee Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

and the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...

, coach and front-office executive for various organizations *

John R. Brooke John Rutter Brooke (July 21, 1838 – September 5, 1926) was one of the last surviving Union generals of the American Civil War when he died at the age of 88. Early life Brooke was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and was educated in nearby Col ...

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

general of

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

and

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cl ...

Naomi Childers Naomi Weston Childers (November 15, 1892 – May 9, 1964), was an American silent film actress whose career lasted until the mid-20th century. English ancestry, child actress She was born of English parentage in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Later ...

, silent-film actress *

Jack Deloplaine Jack A. Deloplaine (April 21, 1954 – August 2, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, and ...

, former

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. The ...

Brett Eppehimer Brett Eppehimer (born May 28, 1976, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is an American-Italian former NCAA Division I and professional basketball player. College career Eppehimer attended Lehigh University (1995–1999), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where ...

, professional basketball player * Nick Eppehimer, professional basketball player *

Loren Gray Loren Gray Beech (born April 19, 2002) is an American social media personality and singer best known for the TikTok career she began in 2016, at the age of 13. She is the seventeenth most-followed individual on TikTok as of December 2022, and ...

, singer-songwriter and social media personality *

Al Grey Al Grey (June 6, 1925 – March 24, 2000) was an American jazz trombonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra. He was known for his plunger mute technique and wrote an instructional book in 1987 called ''Plunger Techniques''. Car ...

, jazz trombonist, known for plunger technique, featured with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and th ...

as soloist *

Calvin Grove Calvin Grove (born August 5, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who was the Featherweight champion of the world. Professional career Grove turned pro in 1982 and in 1988 captured the IBF featherweight title with a TKO over Antonio ...

, professional boxer; former

IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...

featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, this ...

champion *

Daryl Hall Daryl Franklin Hohl (born October 11, 1946), known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B and soul singer and musician, best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Daryl Hall and John Oates (with guitarist and ...

, member of

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

-winning rock group

Hall & Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two ...

, inducted in

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...

Dick Harter Richard Alvin Harter (October 14, 1930 – March 12, 2012) was an American basketball coach who served as both a head and assistant coach in both the NBA and NCAA. Early life Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Harter attended the University o ...

, college and

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United ...

basketball coach *

Geof Manthorne Geoffrey Manthorne (born April 25, 1974), more commonly known as Geof, is an American chef known for his skill in cake building, as well as decorating. He stars on the Food Network's reality-TV show ''Ace of Cakes'' and works as executive sous che ...

, cake artist, co-star of Food Network's reality TV series ''

Ace of Cakes ''Ace of Cakes'' is an American reality television show that aired on the Food Network. The show focused on the daily operations of Duff Goldman's custom cake shop, Charm City Cakes, in Baltimore, Maryland; including small-business ownership, wo ...

'' * Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy, celebrity tattoo artist *

Jim Mickle Jim Mickle (born 1979) is an American director and writer, known for such films as '' Mulberry Street'', ''Stake Land'', '' We Are What We Are'' and '' Cold in July''. He also co-developed the SundanceTV series ''Hap and Leonard'', and the Netfl ...

, film director *

Hildegard Peplau Hildegard E. Peplau (September 1, 1909 – March 17, 1999) was an American nurse and the first published nursing theorist since Florence Nightingale. She created the middle-range nursing theory of interpersonal relations, which helped to revolut ...

, nursing theorist; created middle-range nursing theory of interpersonal relations * John Potts, Ironmaster, founder of Pottstown. *

Matthias Richards Matthias Richards (February 26, 1758 – August 4, 1830) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Early life and education Matthias Richards was born near Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He had many siblings, includin ...

, U.S. Congressman *

Dave Ricketts David William Ricketts (July 12, 1935 – July 13, 2008) was an American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball who played parts of six seasons (, , –) with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Ricketts was a reserve catcher ...

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catcher ...

and coach with

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals h ...

and

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. Founded as part o ...

Dick Ricketts Richard James Ricketts, Jr. (December 4, 1933 – March 6, 1988) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. Ricketts was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1955 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks out of Duquesne University. Ricketts p ...

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...

and

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...

; selected by

St. Louis Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...

with first pick of

1955 NBA draft The 1955 NBA draft was the ninth annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 13, 1955, before the 1955–56 season. In this draft, eight remaining NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college ...

George Seasholtz George Donald Seasholtz (November 14, 1900 – April 11, 1945) was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He first played with the Milwaukee Badgers during the 1922 NFL season. After a year away from the NFL, he played with the Kenosh ...

, former

fullback for

Milwaukee Badgers The Milwaukee Badgers was a professional American football team, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the National Football League from 1922 to 1926. The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field, on ...

Amanda Smith Amanda Berry Smith (January 23, 1837 – February 24, 1915) was a Methodist preacher and former slave who funded The Amanda Smith Orphanage and Industrial Home for Abandoned and Destitute Colored Children outside Chicago. She was a leader i ...

, founder of

Mrs. Smith's Pies Mrs. Smith's Pies (a.k.a. Mrs. Smith's Bakeries) is one of the largest frozen pie brands in the United States. History The company was founded by Amanda Smith, a homemaker from Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Her son Robert P. started selling slices o ...

Bobby Shantz Robert Clayton Shantz (born September 26, 1925) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through , and won the 1952 American League Most Valuable Player Award as ...

, former

; 8x

Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...

winner, 1952

AL MVP The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...

Don Strock Donald Joseph Strock (born November 27, 1950) is a former American football player and coach. He played professionally as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins (1973–1987), Cleveland Browns (1988), and Ind ...

, former

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

for

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pl ...

, former head coach of

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest university in Florida ...

Earl Strom Earl "Yogi" Strom (December 15, 1927 – July 10, 1994) was an American professional basketball referee for 29 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for three years in the American Basketball Association (ABA). Strom is cred ...

, former

referee, member of

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

* Frank D. Wagner, Vice admiral in the U.S. Navy *

Irving Price Wanger Irving Price Wanger (March 5, 1852 – January 14, 1940) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Wanger was born in North Coventry Township, Pennsylvania, the son of Rebecca (Price) and George Wanger. ...

, Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania * Rian Wallace, former

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, pl ...

for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...

and the

Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...

Buck Weaver George Daniel "Buck" Weaver (August 18, 1890 – January 31, 1956) was an American shortstop and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox. Weaver played for the 1917 World Series champion White Sox, then ...

, former

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

for

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

, banned after 1919

Black Sox Scandal The Black Sox Scandal was a Major League Baseball game-fixing scandal in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate le ...

Harry Joe Yorgey Harry Joe Yorgey (born November 20, 1977) is a former professional boxer. He attended Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia, Pa In 2009, he defeated Ronald Hearns to set himself up for a world title fight. He lost to Alfredo Angulo for the ...

, professional boxer

References

External links

Borough of Pottstown

Chamber of Commerce
* {{authority control Populated places on the Schuylkill River Populated places established in 1752 Boroughs in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania 1815 establishments in Pennsylvania