Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 18 miles southeast of Reading, on the banks of Schuylkill River. It was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815.
Pottstown still benefits from the railroads today: the Thun Trail, part of the Schuylkill River Trail, follows the route of the former Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Branch, which was itself built along the route of the Schuylkill Canal. Pottsgrove Manor, the house of founder John Potts, was constructed in 1752. The 197-acre arboretum and conservation area, Welkinweir, which is also located in Pottstown, is currently on the list of the National Register of Historic Places.