Notes:
Albany Township, Berks County’s second largest municipality and often referred to as “the environmentalist’s paradise” is situated north of Interstate Route 78, at the northern tip of the County.
Like most of the county, the first settlers to the area were of German descent. Settlers originally referred to the area as “Allemaengel” after an area of old Germany now encompassing part of Switzerland, from which many of them came. The word means “all wants”, which settlers also thought appropriate based on the fertility of the soil.
Albany’s first settlers lived in the section of the township called Die Eck, German words for “The Corner”. The village is known today as Eckville, which is located near the base of Hawk Mountain.
Soon after the township’s incorporation in 1752, it was divided into two districts, with the northern part retaining the name of Albany and the southern part being named Greenwich, both named after districts in England.
A significant portion of the township is located on the Blue Mountain ridge, a part of the Appalachian Mountain chain that runs along the entire northern border of the county. Albany Township shares a portion of the world-famous Hawk Mountain Sanctuary with Schuylkill County, which borders the township to the north. The Pinnacle, at 1670 feet elevation, is the highest point in Berks County and located just southwest of the center of the township.
Albany Township contains several villages; the busiest and most populous area is Kempton. The other villages include Stony Run, Trexler, Quaker City, Albany, and Eckville. The village of Trexler was placed on the registry of National Historic Districts in 2001, with its character largely intact after 100 years.
