The town of Reading, Pennsylvania is weighing a proposal to charge an admission fee of $1 dollar at its popular Pagoda attraction. The money from over 30,000 annual visitors would go towards a maintenance fund for the odd building that stands overlooking the city on Mt. Penn. In 1908, the Pagoda's original creator, William Whitman, had the 7-story red brick and tile structure built in the style of a Shogun castle. His vision of turning it into a hotel was never realized, so he donated it to Reading to care for.

For decades, the electrically lit Pagoda could be seen across the valley, and has always been a must-see destination for visitors to the area. It has suffered from the effects of weather, vandalism, and the occasional fire, and has benefited from several restoration efforts.

We say the $1 Plan is smart... in fact, if every free attraction in the US charged a dollar to ensure its own survival, we'd endorse that too. And start immediately, Reading, before your Pagoda meets the same end as North Dakota's Pettibone Pagoda. [11/02/2003]

February 10, 2012