Wandering Again

I went for a meander on Sunday and stopped by the fire tower on top of Mt. Penn. It’s a Reading landmark. It’s also recently been in the middle of some controversy lately. You see during the month of December there has traditionally been a cross lit on the side of the tower, visible for miles. It seems after all the many years it’s been there some people suddenly object to the religious connotations it bears and want it removed. Um, why? I’m not what anyone would deem religious by any stretch of the imagination but I have no problem with it. To me, it’s tradition, not religion and the hill will look wrong without it. Some things should be left alone.

Okay, enough of that. While I was there I made some discoveries. On the walkway leading to the door there’s an inlay of William Penn. Makes sense since its official name is the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower. Kinda cool! I wonder how many other Reading residents glance at the tower day in and day out without ever knowing it’s there?

The other thing I found was a stairway. It leads down the other side of the mountain and as far as I can tell, leads no where. Or maybe the path that was cut when the stairway was built is long overgrown. Still, I can’t imagine where it goes. There’s nothing but woods back there. On the side of a very steep hill. Maybe one day I’ll tell someone where I’m going and where appropriate shoes and do some exploring. On the other hand, I went down to where the steps turned while I was there and am already seeing them in my nightmares so perhaps it’s best not to find out more.