Berks County Recorder of Deeds

05/26/2024

I had the great honor of accompanying 100 year old World War 2 Veteran Corporal Benjamin Berry during the Wyomissing Memorial Day Parade today. Ben was recently awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest award by the French Government for his actions during the War. Look closely at the second photo, I was checking on Ben when I saw him clutching his uniform hat in one hand with his youthful 1940’s photo tucked neatly inside, while his other hand was holding his smart phone. Something about the juxtaposition of those two items separated by 80 years of time just stuck me.

03/26/2024

https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/80thDDay/TylerBoland
I met Tyler Boland at a Veterans Program at the Phoebe Retirement Center last week. I am incredibly impressed that a 20 year old has such a deep respect for history and the the stories of the few remaining World War II Veterans. Please help Tyler raise the funds he needs to take four World War II Veterans to Normandy France for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.

I'm raising money for D-Day veterans to return to Normandy for the 80th Anniversary commemoration of the invasion. Their ages range from 96-102 years old. This is our last opportunity to honor them. Together we can give them the honor and healing they need and deserve. Find out more and donate here:...

01/31/2024

State Representative Justin Fleming of Harrisburg invited me to the signing of PA House Bill 1289 which calls for all County Recorder of Deeds to record a new type of document called a Repudiation of Discriminatory Real Estate Covenants, free of charge upon the request of a homeowner. A dark era of our State's history saw many deeds recorded from the early 1900's through the 1960's which restricted who could occupy a property based on race and ethnicity and sometimes religion. Although the practice is outlawed those old deeds will remain on record forever. Now a property owner who feels those old records stigmatize their home have the ability to symbolically Repudiate those old restrictions. Representative Fleming introduced me to Governor Josh Shapiro and asked me to recount a story I heard as a young boy about how my grandmother could not buy a home in many Berks neighborhoods because she was Italian. Rep. Fleming also told Governor Shapiro how I took it upon myself to introduce the same sort of Repudiation document in Berks County back in 2016 also available to record free of charge. If your home's past records contain any of these racial and ethnic restrictions please contact me and I can guide you through the easy process to file your own Repudiation of Discriminatory Real Estate Covenants.

12/24/2019

05/24/2019

This letter from the archives of the Recorder of Deeds office shows us the true meaning of Memorial Day. Take a few minutes and play the video through while you listen to the words Gold Star Mother, Della White first read upon the death of her son in 1945. Many thanks to Josh Chambers, Kutztown High School Language Arts teacher for recording this in his voice, as I have never been able to read this through aloud without choking up. Please share with your friends.

10/25/2016

The Recorder of Deeds Office provides a free service of recording all military discharges (DD214 or equivalent) for long term safe keeping. We will also issue a free Veterans I.D. Card to all Berks County Veterans, Call us to find out more 610-478-3380.

08/10/2015

The NPRC records fire of 1973 destroyed personnel records for 80 percent of WWI and WWII Army Veterans and 75 percent Korea and WWII Air Force Veterans.