We want to express our thanks and gratitude to Lester and Barbara Breininger for allowing us to be a part of the Porch Show for the previous sixteen years.
We would also like to express thanks to our new and previous customers who again helped to make it a successful weekend after hours toiling at the anvil.
Many of us that have grown up in this part of western Berks County have fond memories of Lester and his unique personality. Some had him as a teacher. Others knew him through local historical organizations. I spent many hours at the Taylor Mansion while growing up with his son Preston.
My earliest remembrance of Lester was as a little tyke during a Halloween trick-or-treat night. While out with my mom visiting local homes for candy, we walked up to these huge doors at the front of the Taylor Mansion. She rang the doorbell and stepped off to the side leaving me to wait alone. That scared me a little as this was my first time at this house and it after dark. The door opened slowly with a long drawn out squeak but no one was there. Ok, this is scary... The interior of the house was dark. Some strange noises could be heard from within but you couldn't see inside. I'm getting a little jumpy now.
Slowly this face comes into view from behind the door and this man was laughing at how scared I was. It was Lester and some of his children were there also.
That memory gives me a chuckle every now and then.
While in high school at Conrad Weiser, I was part of a class that Lester and Mr McComsey taught which was modeled after the Foxfire program in Georgia. The founder of that program came to Conrad Weiser and discussed with us how it all started. That class was an interesting experience.
Lester encouraged me in my pursuit of blacksmithing and provided materials to read on the early blackmith's and how they plied their trade. He made me aware of some of the local smith's and there was at least one that worked at the Robesonia Furnace by the name of Moyer.
As a youth, I ate supper at their home many times and learned what spaetzle was. We dipped water for drinking out of a bucket from a spring up on a hill in the back of the property.
A number of years ago Lester's grandson, Allen Michael started hanging around the coal fire and anvil while I demonstrated during the Porch Show weekend. Of course what young man isn't interested in the roar of the fire and making sparks fly. I encouraged him to try hammering and showed him how to operate the forge blower. He picked it up fairly quick and in later years even demonstrated a few times for interested onlookers. I was glad for the break. LOL
Thank you Allen Michael for your friendship and quick wit.
Lester, being an avid historian of many things "local", has provided the citizens of our area with many important details and artifacts of how the Robesonia Furnace operated.
Thanks Lester and Barbara for all that you have done.
