The 1752 home of founder John Potts marks the spot where Pottstown began, but the town's real history begins with the arrival of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway in the 1850s. The Potts brothers started the Pottsgrove Iron Works, and by the 1860s, the Pottstown Iron Company had also come into existence. Pottstown still benefits from the railroads today: the Thun Trail, part of the Schuylkill River Trail System, follows the route of the former Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Branch, which was itself built along the route of the Schuylkill Canal. Pottstown is along the Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor, which knits together 128 miles of historical attractions and community events. Spectacular views of the river from the historic railroad bridges make this a trip worth taking.