10/09/2026
Long before the modern fire station at Ninth and Marion Streets became a familiar landmark, this corner of Reading, Pennsylvania, was home to an imposing brick schoolhouse that educated thousands of neighborhood children. Built in 1870, the Ninth and Marion School stood for approximately 60 years, witnessing the transformation of North Reading from a sparsely developed area surrounded by brickyards into a thriving residential neighborhood. The school also stood near the path of one of the most destructive storms in Reading's history, the devastating cyclone of January 9, 1889.
This remarkable photograph captures the Ninth and Marion School and several neighboring homes shortly after that storm. The image provides a rare glimpse of North Reading in the late 19th century, showing not only the school's architecture but also the tremendous damage inflicted on nearby buildings.
When the Ninth and Marion School was constructed in 1870, this section of Reading was still considered an outlying part of the city. Few houses stood beyond or near the school, and much of the surrounding property consisted of brickyards. The Reading School District purchased the property from the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad for $1,350. That same year, contractor William Call erected the school building at a cost of $15,800.
The original school contained four classrooms, but as North Reading expanded and more families settled in the neighborhood, the building was enlarged to accommodate eight classrooms. Its distinctive brick architecture and cupola made it an imposing landmark in an area that was still undergoing development. For many years, the school served children living in the growing northeastern section of Reading, providing instruction through the eighth grade. During its six decades of operation, more than 3,000 pupils passed through its classrooms.
One of the most dramatic events witnessed by the neighborhood occurred on Wednesday, January 9, 1889, when a violent storm swept through Reading. The disaster became known as the "Pennsylvania Cyclone," although the destructive rotating storm is now generally described as a tornado. The storm struck during the late afternoon, leaving a trail of damaged buildings, collapsed roofs, and widespread destruction across portions of the city.
The weather that day had been unsettled, with rain and threatening skies preceding the storm. As the violent winds approached Reading, the sky darkened and the storm moved rapidly through the northern portion of the city. Its destructive force tore roofs from houses, damaged industrial buildings, and brought down sections of substantial brick structures. Among the properties affected were the Mount Penn Stove Works near Third and Greenwich Streets and St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
The most tragic destruction occurred at the Grimshaw Silk Mill, near Twelfth and Marion Streets. The factory was struck with tremendous force, causing much of the building to collapse while employees were still inside. Workers were trapped beneath falling timbers, bricks, and machinery. The disaster ultimately claimed 19 lives, while approximately 100 others suffered injuries. The collapse became one of the worst industrial tragedies in Reading's history.
The cyclone also caused considerable destruction along North Ninth Street near Marion. Approximately a dozen homes in the area suffered similar damage. Several of these buildings appear in the photograph with their roofs torn away, leaving exposed rafters, damaged upper stories, and sections of interior construction visible from the street.
The photograph is especially fascinating because it shows the Ninth and Marion School standing at the left, its prominent cupola rising above the surrounding buildings. Although nearby houses sustained extensive damage, the school appears largely intact in this view. The image does not establish whether the school sustained less visible damage during the storm.
The scene also reveals a portion of the neighborhood that would later change considerably. The firehouse at Ninth and Marion, which would become known as the Marion-Hampden Fire Station, is visible in the photograph. That structure, although extensively modified during its long existence, continued serving Reading's fire department well into the 21st century. The historic firehouse and the school were therefore neighboring landmarks during a period of tremendous growth and change in North Reading.
By the early 20th century, the neighborhood surrounding Ninth and Marion had become far more developed than it had been when the school first opened. Streets that had once bordered open ground and brickyards were lined with houses, businesses, and other institutions. Generations of families had settled in the area, and the school had become an established part of neighborhood life.
However, by the 1920s, the aging school building was no longer considered suitable for modern educational requirements. In 1927, Pennsylvania's Department of Education conducted a survey of Reading's public schools and condemned the Ninth and Marion building as unfit for continued use. The school had already served the community for more than half a century, and its facilities had become outdated.
The completion of the new Thirteenth and Union grade center in the fall of 1929 provided a replacement for the old neighborhood school. Pupils who had attended Ninth and Marion were transferred to the new school, and the building that had welcomed generations of children was abandoned.
In April 1930, demolition crews began dismantling the school. Workers removed the roof joists before tearing down the brick walls, bringing an end to a building that had served North Reading for six decades. The Reading School Board had decided that the property should continue serving neighborhood children, although in a different capacity. Rather than constructing another school on the site, the board authorized demolition to make way for a playground.
The playground that replaced the Ninth and Marion School became a neighborhood fixture. Children continued gathering on the same ground where earlier generations had attended classes. For decades, the site remained associated with the recreation and daily lives of North Reading families.
The property's next major transformation began in the early 2020s, when Reading moved forward with plans to replace the aging Marion-Hampden Fire Station at 1155 North Ninth Street. The historic firehouse, constructed in the late 1880s, had served the city for well over a century, but its outdated layout and limited space were increasingly unsuitable for modern firefighting equipment. The building also required costly improvements to address structural and environmental concerns, accessibility requirements, and the needs of firefighters working extended shifts.
After considering the cost of renovating the original station, city officials decided to construct a new facility across Marion Street on the former Ninth and Marion playground. The project created an interesting historical reversal. In 1930, the school had been demolished to create a playground. More than 90 years later, that same playground property was selected for a new fire station, while plans called for the old firehouse property to become a replacement playground.
The city held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 5, 2021, beginning a project that had been discussed for more than a decade. Former Reading City Councilman Stratton Marmarou had been a longtime advocate for replacing the outdated facility. Reading-based Perrotto Builders received the general construction contract, valued at approximately $5.95 million. The overall project involved roughly $9 million in city and federal funding, including $5 million from the American Rescue Plan.
Construction began in 2022, transforming the former playground into a modern two-story fire station designed to meet the demands of contemporary emergency services. The approximately 15,900-square-foot building includes three apparatus bays, living and sleeping quarters, a kitchen, training areas, a fitness room, administrative offices, and specialized areas for cleaning and storing firefighting equipment. Three fire poles connect the upper floor with the apparatus level, preserving a traditional feature of firehouses while providing firefighters with rapid access to their vehicles.
On September 21, 2024, Reading officially dedicated the new Ninth and Marion Fire Station. The opening marked the completion of a long-awaited improvement to the city's emergency services and a new chapter in the history of this North Reading intersection.
What makes the location especially fascinating is how its purpose has changed over the generations. In 1870, the property served as a schoolhouse on the northern outskirts of Reading. In 1889, the surrounding neighborhood experienced the destruction of the Pennsylvania Cyclone. In 1930, the aging school was demolished and replaced by a playground. Nearly a century later, construction of the new fire station brought another dramatic transformation to the same property.
Few people passing Ninth and Marion Streets today would realize that the modern fire station occupies ground once associated with a neighborhood school that educated more than 3,000 Reading children. Fewer still might know that the surrounding houses were battered by a deadly cyclone in January 1889.
This rare photograph preserves a remarkable moment in that history. The old school, the damaged houses, and the early firehouse together tell the story of a neighborhood that has continuously changed while remaining an important part of Reading.
From a schoolhouse built among brickyards in 1870 to a modern fire station dedicated in 2024, the corner of Ninth and Marion has witnessed more than 150 years of Reading's history.
