About Harrisburg

The largest city in the capital region, Harrisburg, is located in the south central region of Pennsylvania and Dauphin County. Named the capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1812, Harrisburg’s relative proximity to the larger metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC, plays a large part in the city’s recent growth and culture. Harrisburg is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in Pennsylvania and is the county seat of Dauphin County. The city limits extend over to the Susquehanna River to include some of the numerous islands, including “City Island”, a recreational destination that also is home to the Harrisburg Senators baseball team.

Harrisburg played a significant role in American history during the Westward Migration, the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution as it became one of the most industrialized cities in the Northeastern United States. Located along the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg is named for John Harris, Sr., an English trader who settled on the land in 1719. The town was similar to the plan of Philadelphia with such familiar street names as Market, Chestnut, Walnut and Pine.

During the Civil War, Harrisburg, being only 40 miles from the Mason-Dixon Line, served as the central assembly and send off location of many regiments of Union troops. Camp Curtain, named for Pennsylvania’s wartime governor, was located in today’s uptown section of Harrisburg. More Union troops were mustered into service at Camp Curtain than at any other facility in the Union or Confederacy. Confederate Governor Robert E. Lee twice made the taking of Harrisburg and Camp Curtain a primary objective. The first effort ended with the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in U.S. history, with Confederate troops returning to Virginia. The second time, the South met the bulk of Union troops at nearby Gettysburg, where the pivotal battle of the Civil War occurred in July 1863.

Another event of importance that occurred in Harrisburg’s history was a fire that destroyed the original state capital in 1897. The rebuilding led the community to make major public improvements, nearly all of which exist today.

Twice chosen an “All-American City”, the highest national community award which is given by the National Civic League, Harrisburg has also been recognized by Pennsylvania’s Chamber of Business and Industry as Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Community, and it is the only northeastern U.S. city to receive both distinguished awards.

Harrisburg’s arts and cultural reputation is credited with two major performance centers which are unsurpassed for a city the size of Harrisburg. The Whitaker Center for Sciences and the Arts was the first of its type in the United States when completed in 1999. The Forum, which is a magnificent concert and lecture hall, was built in the 1930’s and is located within the State Capital Complex. Since 1931, the Forum has been home to the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Harrisburg is also home to the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, which is the largest agricultural exhibition in the country.

The city’s residential neighborhoods are charming. Ranging from the occasional 18th century structures to historic districts to secluded and wooded areas to the contemporary Center City high rises and apartments, Harrisburg has something for everyone. In recent years, there has been a substantial rehabilitation of older homes along with new town home construction.

The Midtown, Fox Ridge, Old Uptown, Shipoke and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods, as well as those in the Historic Harrisburg District adjacent to the Capital Complex, are historic districts of the older city.

Bellevue Park, located in the eastern part of Harrisburg, is Pennsylvania’s first comprehensively planned residential community and contains homes of distinct architectural styles.

Uptown Harrisburg, north of the Governor’s Residence, is anchored by the sprawling Polyclinic Hospital and bordered by Riverfront Park.

Riverside is the city’s most northern neighborhood. In addition to having Susquehanna River and Riverfront Park frontage, the area contains the beautiful Indian lake and parkland, the historic William Penn school campus as well as the Dixon University Center.

Harrisburg is home to the most magnificent State Capital buildings in the US. The central dome was modeled after the dome in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Rome.

Current Mayor, Stephen R. Reed, was elected in 1981 and has been re-elected ever since. His current term expires in 2010. He is repeatedly praised for the vast number of economic developments during his time in office.

Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is located southeast of the city in Middletown. Other nearby airports include the Capital City Airport which is a moderate-sized business class and general aviation airport, the Franklin County Regional Airport in Chambersburg and Gettysburg Regional Airport in Gettysburg.

The City of Harrisburg is served by the Harrisburg School District. The Central Dauphin School District is the largest public school district in the metropolitan area. The city maintains one public charter school, the Sylvan heights Science Charter School. In addition, Harrisburg is home to the arts-focused magnet school, the Capital Area School for the Arts. Harrisburg is also home to an extensive Catholic educational system including Bishop McDevitt High School. Numerous other private schools, such as The Londonberry School and The Circle School, which is a Sudbury Model school, also operate in Harrisburg. Harrisburg Academy, founded in 1784 in one of the oldest independent college preparatory schools in the nation. The Rabbi David L. Silver Yeshiva Academy, founded in 1944 is a Jewish day school.

Institutions of higher education in Harrisburg include: Dixon University, Harrisburg Community College (with six campuses), Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg Eastgate Center, Temple University Harrisburg Campus and Widener University School of Law.

Located near Harrisburg are: Dickinson College, located in Carlisle; Gettysburg College, located in Gettysburg; Penn State Hershey medical Center, located in Hershey; Shippensburg University, located in Shippensburg.