Willson, Thomas A. and Co.
Also known as: Wilson Products Inc.; Goggleworks Center for the Arts
Why it's listed
Reading, Pennsylvania, is the setting for this factory complex, which began in 1871 when Giles J. Willson and his son Thomas A. Willson established a spectacle works on the northeast corner of Washington and Second Streets. Over the following decades the mill grew into a five-building facility as the firm moved from spectacles into protective eyewear and safety equipment. Its founders developed Arundel glass, a tinted lens that blocked the glare of metal processing, and the company won medals at the 1876 Centennial Exposition and the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition. Its product line expanded to goggles, respirators and welding helmets, and it supplied military equipment during the Second World War. The main building was expanded in 1910, 1929, 1938 and 1945, and in 1946 its facades were refaced in the Moderne style by the Reading firm Muhlenberg Brothers. The complex is significant for its industrial history and for its physical record of successive building campaigns.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant under Criterion A for its role in the protective eyewear industry and the industrial development of Berks County, as one of the leading optical goods makers in the country. It is also significant under Criterion C as a surviving example of early and mid-twentieth century industrial architecture, with its Moderne facades of the 1940s unifying earlier building campaigns.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 06000428, listed May 24, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 201 Washington St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | May 24, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000428 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Muhlenberg Bros. Architects |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Building 1 is described as in fair condition and Building 2 and Building 3 as in good condition, retaining integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.33909, -75.93555 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 06000428.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5577356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.