Berks-Mont Newspapers can trace its history back to the beginnings of The Boyertown Area Times.  The Times was founded on June 15, 1857.  It was first published as a German weekly paper, Der Bauer, by G. H. Sassaman, who continued the publication until March of 1870.

     The owner sold the business to an employee, Augustus Moyer, and left Boyertown owing creditors between $3,000 and $4,000.

     Other accounts listed the owner, for a short time, as being Max Hasselback.  In any event, the owner, whether Moyer or Hasselback, didn't operate the newspaper for a long period of time.

     In June of that year the newspaper was auctioned off at a sheriff sale and it was purchased for $304 by "of all people" the Berks County sheriff, William B. Albright.

     However, he only owned the newspaper for a year and a half.

     Charles Spatz assumed management of the paper on December 12, 1871, and it was not until five years later, on March 21, 1876, that local news and a Washington Letter were printed in English.  Ads in English also were printed in the paper for the first time that year.

     On June 5, 1883, the newspaper carried news printed in German on the first two pages and devoted the last two pages to news printed in English.

     Charles Spatz published the newspaper from 1871 until his death on May 7, 1884. His son, Charles B. Spatz, then only 19 years old assumed the task of publishing the publication and continued for 36 years.

     A change in the publication took place on Jan. 9, 1904, when the name of the weekly was changed to The Berks County Democrat.

     Frederick Spatz, son of Charles B., became publisher on Sept. 4, 1920, and continued in that capacity until 1930.  Prior to that, however, the newspaper became a bi-weekly, being published every Tuesday and Thursday for a short period.

     During Frederick Spatz's tenure, Collier Rhoads, son of Col. Thomas I. Rhoads, founded the Boyertown Times on August 10, 1927.

     Boyertown was too small to support two weekly newspapers, and on April 3, 1930, the papers merged when Mr. Rhoads purchased the Democrat from Mr. Spatz.

     The newspaper and printing plant were purchased on June 1, 1934, by Charles F. Wentzel and his father-in-law, Elmer C. Smith, as partners and co-publishers.  Mr. Smith died in May 1942 and Wentzel became owner-publisher.

     At his death in March 1964, his widow, Olga Wentzel, became interim publisher and his estate sold the firm to a group of employees led by Donald Webb as majority stockholder and publisher on November 13, 1964.

     In April, 1965 a second publication was added to the firm's ownership when The Shopper's Digest was produced as a biweekly advertising publication.

     A major step in separating the large printing business from publishing of newspapers was taken on October 1, 1968 when Berks-Mont Newspapers, Inc. was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of Boyertown Publishing Company.  On the same day the new firm purchased the Birdsboro Dispatch from Harry Hart.  The Birdsboro Dispatch became the Southern Berks News and has been published since 1885.

     In late October 1971, all of the stock of the newspaper firm was purchased by Donald and Helen Webb.  A month later the office of Berks-Mont Newspapers, Inc. was moved to its present location, 124 North Chestnut Street, Boyertown, PA.

     In June of 1986, James C. Webb was named publisher of Berks-Mont Newspapers, Inc. and in May of 1988 became owner of Berks-Mont Newspapers.

     Berks-Mont continued to grow and expand and in July of 1997 they bought the Hamburg Item from Avery and June Piersons.  The Item has been published since 1875.

     Three years later the opportunity to add The Patriot, in Kutztown, became a reality when it was purchased from Kutztown Publishing Company.  The history of The Patriot dates back to 1874.

     With the purchase of The Patriot, Berks-Mont now publishes all four weekly newspapers in Berks County around the city of Reading with a combined circulation of 21,500.

     In July of 2001 Berks-Mont expanded its reach outside Berks County and western Montgomery County by buying The Free Press in Quakertown, Bucks County. The Free Press has been published in Quakertown since 1881.

      As of November 1, 2001 Berks-Mont added its latest publication, The Saucon News, which covers the Saucon Valley School District, Hellertown, and the Southern Lehigh School District. The combined Saucon News and Free Press circulation is more than 10,500.

      Berks-Mont's total combined circulation for all weekly newspapers is currently over 32,000.

     Berks-Mont's history is a story of ongoing progress, now spanning nearly a century and a half.