117-499: The Harrisburg Transportation Center ( HTC , formerly Pennsylvania Station, Harrisburg or Harrisburg Central Railroad Station ) is a railway station and transportation hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . It is located on the eastern edge of Downtown Harrisburg between the intersections of Aberdeen and Market Streets and 4th and Chestnut Streets. The station is the primary hub for passenger rail and intercity bus services in
234-446: A humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) if the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm is used. The hottest recorded temperature in the city was 107 °F (42 °C) on August 7, 1918, while the coldest recorded temperature was −16 °F (−27 °C) on January 22, 1984. On average, the city receives 42 inches of precipitation a year. September is the wettest month of the year and February the driest. The snowiest winter on record for Lancaster
351-475: A barrier along the eastern edge of the city: passable only by bridge. Three large and ornately embellished passenger depots were built by as many rail lines. Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest rail line in Harrisburg. It built huge repair facilities and two large roundhouses in the 1860s and 1870s to handle its enormous freight and passenger traffic and to maintain its colossal infrastructure. Its rails ran
468-542: A charter/tour bus company, has scheduled weekday, line route commuter service between Schuylkill County and downtown Harrisburg. R & J has stops within one block of the HTC, though no tickets for R & J's service are available at the Transportation Center. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg ( / ˈ h æ r ɪ s ˌ b ɜːr ɡ / , Pennsylvania Dutch : Harrisbarrig) is the capital city of
585-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.23. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
702-420: A height of 255 feet (78 m). The six largest ethnic groups in the city are: African American (52.4%), German (15.0%), Irish (6.5%), Italian (3.3%), English (2.4%), and Dutch (1.0%). While the metropolitan area is approximately 15% German-American , 11.4% are Irish-American and 9.6% English-American . Harrisburg has one of the largest Pennsylvania Dutch communities in the nation, and also has
819-783: A holiday recognizing Lancaster's one day as capital of the United States in 1777. Lancaster receives 20 times more refugees per capita than the rest of the United States, leading it to be dubbed "America's refugee capital" in 2015. Between 2005 and 2019, nearly 5,000 refugees were resettled in Lancaster. Lancaster announced its designation as a Certified Welcoming City in 2019. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai visited Lancaster in 2017 to honor its commitment to refugees, an experience she detailed in her book We Are Displaced . Lancaster City Council voted to end cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2024. Lancaster
936-483: A major role in the local economy throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The city was the center of enormous railroad traffic and its steel industry supported large furnaces, rolling mills, and machine shops. The Pennsylvania Steel Company plant, which opened in nearby Steelton in 1866, was the first in the country; later operated by Bethlehem Steel . Its first large scale iron foundries were put into operation shortly after 1850. As industries nationwide entered
1053-684: A manufacturer of vacuum tube products. Burle completed a voluntary clean-up under the Pennsylvania Land Recycling Program. In addition to Lancaster's boutiques, vintage shops, and art galleries ( Gallery Row ), Park City Center is the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania . The mall includes more than 150 stores and is anchored by Boscov's , JCPenney , and Kohl's . Park City opened in September 1971. Built in 1889,
1170-529: A moderately large meeting room called the Pennsylvania Room that can be used for meetings and other large gatherings. Passenger facilities are currently limited, but the station does have a newsstand on the first floor that sells newspapers, magazines, food, and beverages. It also has various food and beverage vending machines in the intercity bus terminal portion of the building on the basement floor. Non-retail facilities include small lockers on
1287-521: A never-realized museum celebrating the American West . During the nearly 30-year tenure of former Mayor Stephen Reed from 1981 to 2009, city officials ignored legal restraints on the use of bond proceeds, as Reed spent the money pursuing interests including collecting Civil War and Wild West memorabilia – some of which was found in Reed's home after his arrest on corruption charges. Infrastructure
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#17327918833191404-407: A new receiver, William B. Lynch , was appointed. The City Council opposed the new receiver's plans for tax increases and advocated a stay of the creditor lawsuits with a bankruptcy filing, while Mayor Thompson continued to oppose bankruptcy. State legislators crafted a moratorium to prevent Harrisburg from declaring bankruptcy, and after the moratorium expired, the law stripped the city government of
1521-459: A person with access to amenities would be a happier person . In December 1900, a reformer named Mira Lloyd Dock , who had recently encountered well-ordered urban centers on an international trip to Europe, gave a lecture on "The City Beautiful" to Harrisburg's Board of Trade. Other prominent citizens of the city such as J. Horace McFarland and Vance McCormick advocated urban improvements which were influenced by European urban planning design and
1638-422: A phase of great expansion and technological improvement, so did industries – and in particular the steel industry – in Harrisburg. This can be attributed to a combination of factors that were typical of what existed in other successful industrial cities: rapid rail expansion; nearby markets for goods; and nearby sources for raw product. With Harrisburg poised for growth in steel production, Steelton became
1755-418: A prominent bluff, accessed by bridges across a wide swath of train tracks. It was developed in the late 19th century and offered affluent Harrisburg residents the opportunity to live in the suburbs only a few hundred yards from their jobs in the city. As the city expanded, it incorporated Allison Hill in its boundaries. In 1886, a single horse trolley line was established from the city to Allison Hill. Easy access
1872-574: A series of skirmishes surrounding the city, such as the Skirmish of Sporting Hill in Camp Hill , just 2 miles (3 km) west of Harrisburg. The Second Corp were ultimately unsuccessful in both overcoming the local Union defenses and crossing the rain bloated Susquehanna into Harrisburg itself, and were forced to retreat southward to regroup with Lee's main Confederate force. This attempt marked
1989-490: A service-oriented base, with industries such as health care and convention centers playing a big role. Harrisburg's greatest problem was a shrinking city population after 1950. This loss in population followed a national trend and was a delayed result of the decline of Harrisburg's steel industry. This decline began almost imperceptibly in the late 1880s, but did not become evident until the early 20th century. After being held in place for about 5 years by WWII armament production,
2106-458: A small downtown area within walking distance, these were the sights and smells that most Steelton residents saw every day. The rail yard was another area of Harrisburg that saw rapid and thorough change during the years of industrialization. This was a wide expanse of about two dozen railroad tracks that grew from the single track of the early 1850s. By the late 19th century, this area was the width of about two city blocks and formed what amounted to
2223-479: A state-appointed receiver took charge of the city's finances. Governor Tom Corbett appointed bond attorney David Unkovic as the city's receiver, but Unkovic resigned after only four months. Unkovic blamed disdain for legal restraints on contracts and debt for creating Harrisburg's intractable financial problem and said the corrupt influence of creditors and political cronies prevented fixing it. As creditors began to file lawsuits to seize and sell off city assets,
2340-463: A thriving art community. Gallery Row on the 100 block of North Prince St. features a block of art galleries, and the city proper has over 40 galleries and artists' studios. The galleries host a "First Friday" each month, extending their business hours to exhibit new artwork and new artists to the public. The Lancaster County Quilts and Textile Museum, completed in 2007, celebrates the art of the hand-sewn quilts and other textile items produced by women of
2457-531: A town on his father's land, which he named Harrisburg. In the spring of 1785, the town was formally surveyed by William Maclay , who was a son-in-law of John Harris, Sr. In 1791, Harrisburg became incorporated, and in October 1812 it was named the Pennsylvania state capital, which it has remained ever since. The assembling here of the highly sectional Harrisburg Convention in 1827 (signaling what may have been
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#17327918833192574-486: A two-hour drive of the metro areas of Baltimore , Washington , Philadelphia and three-hour drive of New York and Pittsburgh . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.4 square miles (30 km ), of which 8.1 square miles (21 km ) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km ) (29.11%) is water. Bodies of water include Paxton Creek , which empties into
2691-513: A variable, four-season climate lying at the beginning of the transition between the humid subtropical and humid continental zones ( Köppen Cfa and Dfa , respectively). The city limits fall within the Cfa Humid subtropical climate classification, while the suburban areas and rural surroundings fall just into the Dfa Humid continental climate classification. The hottest month of the year
2808-535: Is 107 °F (42 °C) on July 3, 1966. Summer thunderstorms also occur relatively frequently. Autumn is a pleasant season, when the humidity and temperatures fall to more comfortable values. The hardiness zone is 7a/7b. Winter in Harrisburg is mild to cool: January, the coolest month, remains above freezing, as it experiences a daily mean temperature of 32.6 °F (0.3 °C). A major snowstorm can also occasionally occur, and some winters snowfall totals can exceed 40 inches (102 cm), while in other winters,
2925-444: Is July, with a daily mean temperature of 77.5 °F (25.3 °C). Summer is usually hot and humid and occasional heat waves can occur. The city averages around 32 days per year with 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, although temperatures reaching 100 °F (38 °C) are rare. Seven months average above 50 °F (10 °C) and three months average above 22 °C (72 °F). The hottest temperature ever recorded in Harrisburg
3042-447: Is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , United States. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 census , it is the tenth-most populous city in the state. It is a core city within South Central Pennsylvania , with 552,984 residents in the Lancaster metropolitan area . Settled in the 1720s, Lancaster is one of the oldest inland cities in the US. It served as
3159-682: Is also available. In Federal Fiscal Year 2018, it was the third busiest Amtrak station in Pennsylvania and 22nd busiest in the United States . It ranks just behind Lancaster Station in both categories (Lancaster is 2nd and 21st respectively). It is one of the busiest Amtrak stations serving a metropolitan area with fewer than two million people, mainly due to the large number of passengers traveling between this station and Philadelphia. There are two intercity bus operators ( Greyhound Lines and Fullington Trailways ) that provide service to
3276-469: Is formed by the west shore of the Susquehanna River , which runs within the city boundaries and serves as the boundary between Dauphin and Cumberland counties. Harrisburg is divided into numerous neighborhoods and districts. Like many of Pennsylvania's cities and boroughs that are at build-out stage, there are several townships outside of Harrisburg city limits that, although autonomous, use
3393-598: Is headquartered in Lancaster, co-founded by Franklin & Marshall College in 1981. The Lancaster Stormers played their inaugural season in 2005, ending Lancaster's 44-year period without professional baseball since the demise of the Red Roses . Their main Atlantic League rival is the Revolution from nearby York . Lancaster is the hometown of Major League Baseball alumnus Tom Herr . He played for
3510-402: Is home to about 65 stores. The Shops at Rockvale contains over 100 stores and restaurants. According to Lancaster's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Many of Lancaster's landmarks are significant in local, state, and national history. The city of Lancaster has art, craft and historical museums. The Demuth Museum is located in the former home of
3627-815: Is home to the Pennsylvania State Capitol . Completed in 1906, the central dome rises to a height of 272 feet (83 m) and was modeled on that of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City , Rome. The building was designed by Joseph Miller Huston and is adorned with sculpture, including Love and Labor, the Unbroken Law and The Burden of Life, the Broken Law by sculptor George Grey Barnard ; murals by Violet Oakley and Edwin Austin Abbey ; tile floor by Henry Mercer , which tells
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3744-516: Is located in the Piedmont region of Pennsylvania . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 7.35 square miles (19.0 km ), of which, 7.23 square miles (18.7 km ) of it is land and 1.65% is water. Under the Köppen climate classification , Lancaster falls within either a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) if the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm is used or
3861-514: Is nine hours and 19 minutes. The sun reaches its lowest point in the sky of 26° between December 11 and December 31. The longest days of the year are June 19 to June 23, reaching 15 hours and one minute. The sun reaches its highest point in the sky of 73° from June 10 to July 2. According to the 2020 United States census , Lancaster had a population of 58,039. Of which, 40.3% were Hispanic/Latino, 38.9% were non-Hispanic White, 12.6% were non-Hispanic Black, 3.8% were Asian, 4.4% mixed or other. As of
3978-551: Is one of the oldest working theaters in the United States. The Ware Center hosts live theater, concerts, and performances. Lancaster is home to Franklin & Marshall College and its various sports teams, including the Diplomats football team. The Diplomats play their home games at Shadek Stadium in Lancaster. Shadek Stadium was built in 2017 and surrounds Tom Gilburg Field. Aside from football, Shadek Stadium also hosts men's and women's lacrosse. The Centennial Conference
4095-731: Is situated on the east bank of the Susquehanna River and is located 83 miles (134 km) southwest of Allentown and 107 miles (172 km) northwest of Philadelphia . Harrisburg played a role in American history during the Westward Migration , the American Civil War , and the Industrial Revolution . During part of the 19th century, the building of the Pennsylvania Canal and later
4212-534: Is south of Harrisburg, suffered a partial meltdown. Although the meltdown was contained and radiation leakages were minimal, there were still worries that an evacuation would be necessary. Governor Dick Thornburgh , on the advice of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Joseph Hendrie , advised the evacuation "of pregnant women and pre-school age children ... within a five-mile radius of the Three Mile Island facility." Within days, 140,000 people had left
4329-676: Is the metropolitan center for some 400 communities. Its economy and more than 45,000 businesses are diversified with a large representation of service-related industries, especially health-care and a growing technological and biotechnology industry to accompany the dominant government field inherent to being the state's capital. National and international firms with major operations include Ahold Delhaize , ArcelorMittal Steel , HP Inc. , IBM , Hershey Foods , Harsco Corporation , Ollie's Bargain Outlet , Rite Aid Corporation , Tyco Electronics , and Volvo Construction Equipment . The largest employers,
4446-458: Is the western terminus of Amtrak's Keystone Service , which provides the bulk of the Amtrak service to and from Harrisburg. Primary cities served on Amtrak to and from Harrisburg include Lancaster , Philadelphia , and New York to the east and Altoona , Johnstown , and Pittsburgh to the west. Both staffed and Quik-Trak machine ticket service are available for all departures and red cap service
4563-401: Is ultimately fueling the growth of its suburbs , although the decline – which was very rapid in the 1960s and 1970s – has slowed considerably since the 1980s. Unlike Western and Southern states , Pennsylvania maintains a complex system of municipalities and has very little legislation on either the annexation/expansion of cities or the consolidating of municipal entities. Harrisburg
4680-811: The Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area and serves as the seat of government for Dauphin County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . There are over a dozen large neighborhoods and historic districts within the city. Harrisburg's architecture spans over 200 years of evolving construction and design and thus contains a breadth of various architectural styles. Six Municipal Historic Districts, multiple National Historic Districts, and Architectural Conservation Overlay Districts have in turn have been established to preserve and guide any new development of areas with respect to their character. Harrisburg
4797-593: The Cumberland Valley Railroad (CVR). The third and current station excluded the Reading Railroad , which built its own station in 1856, and the CVR maintained a small depot adjoining the much larger NCR/PRR station. The CVR station was razed sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The Reading Railroad discontinued passenger service into its Harrisburg station in the 1950s and its station
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4914-745: The Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League , the Harrisburg Heat indoor soccer club, and Penn FC of the United Soccer League began operations in the city during his tenure as mayor. While praised for the vast number of economic improvements, Reed has also been criticized for population loss and mounting debt. For example, during a budget crisis the city was forced to sell $ 8 million worth of Western and American-Indian artifacts collected by Mayor Reed for
5031-681: The Harrisburg metropolitan area and South Central Pennsylvania . The current station is the third on the site. Though technically a union station , which is a station used by several railways, it was never identified as such in publications such as the Official Guide of the Railroads and Steam Navigation Lines or Pennsylvania Railroad Timetables. The first two stations were shared by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), Reading Railroad , Northern Central Railway (NCR), and
5148-868: The Lancaster Central Market is the oldest continuously operated farmers market in the United States, and many tourists come to purchase the handmade Amish goods that are not commonly found elsewhere. Central Market is listed with the National Register of Historic Places , and its towers are of the Romanesque Revival style. The market underwent renovations beginning in July 2010. Lancaster also has two outlet shopping centers, both of which are located in East Lampeter Township on U.S. Route 30 . Tanger Outlets
5265-709: The Lewis and Clark Expedition . In 1879, Franklin Winfield Woolworth opened his first successful five and dime store in the city of Lancaster, the F. W. Woolworth Company . Lancaster was one of the winning communities for the All-America City award in 2000. In 2009, a community organization installed and began monitoring 164 closed-circuit cameras in Lancaster, which engendered some local opposition. On October 13, 2011, Lancaster's City Council officially recognized September 27 as Capital Day,
5382-538: The Pennsylvania Railroad allowed Harrisburg to develop into one of the most industrialized cities in the Northeastern United States . In the mid- to late 20th century, the city's economic fortunes fluctuated with its major industries consisting of government, heavy manufacturing , agriculture , and food services. These economic fluctuations contributed to Harrisburg experiencing a decline of nearly half its population between 1950 and 2000. However,
5499-631: The Pennsylvania long rifle . The Conestoga wagon was named after the Conestoga River , which runs through the city. The innovative gunsmith William Henry lived in Lancaster and was a U.S. Congressman and leader during and after the American Revolution. In 1803, Meriwether Lewis visited Lancaster to be educated in survey methods by the well-known surveyor Andrew Ellicott . During his visit, Lewis learned to plot latitude and longitude as part of his overall training needed to lead
5616-779: The Potomac to the Upper Susquehanna intersecting there. The first European contact with Native Americans in Pennsylvania was made by Englishman Captain John Smith , who journeyed from Virginia up the Susquehanna River in 1608 and visited with the Susquehanna tribe. In 1719, John Harris, Sr. , an English trader, settled here and 14 years later secured grants of 800 acres (3.2 km ) in this vicinity. In 1785, John Harris, Jr. made plans to lay out
5733-1021: The St. Louis Cardinals for the majority of his career. He also played for the Minnesota Twins , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Mets , and the San Francisco Giants . Herr subsequently coached the Hempfield High School Black Knights baseball team for several years. He also managed the Lancaster Stormers in their first season. The Stormers have won the Atlantic League Championship three times: in 2006, 2014, and 2022. The Lancaster Bicycle Club hosts an annual Covered Bridge Metric Century bicycle race. In 2010, more than 2,500 riders participated. The city of Lancaster hosted
5850-588: The Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, as well as Wildwood Lake and Italian Lake parks. In land area Harrisburg (proper) is also the third smallest of the United States capital cities . Directly to the north of Harrisburg is the Blue Mountain ridge of the Appalachian Mountains . The Cumberland Valley lies directly to the west of Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River, stretching into northern Maryland . The fertile Lebanon Valley lies to
5967-654: The Three Mile Island accident on March 28, 1979, in nearby Middletown . Harrisburg's site along the Susquehanna River is thought to have been inhabited by Native Americans as early as 3000 BC. Known to the Native Americans as "Peixtin", or " Paxtang ", the area was an important resting place and crossroads for Native American traders with trails leading from the Delaware to the Ohio rivers and from
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#17327918833196084-559: The U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County . With a population of 50,099 as of 2020 , Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger principal city of the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area , also known as the Susquehanna Valley , which had a population of 591,712 in 2020 and is the fourth-most populous metro area in Pennsylvania. Harrisburg
6201-545: The World's Columbian Exposition . Warren Manning was hired to help bring about these changes. Specifically, their efforts greatly enlarged the Harrisburg park system, creating Riverfront Park, Reservoir Park, the Italian Lake and Wildwood Park. In addition, schemes were undertaken for new water filtration, burial of electric wires, the paving of roads, and the creation of a modern sanitary sewer system. The efforts to improve
6318-515: The federal and state governments, provide stability to the economy. The region's extensive transportation infrastructure has allowed it to become a prominent center for trade, warehousing, and distribution. According to the Region Economic Development Corporation, the top employers in the region are: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( / ˈ l æ ŋ k ɪ s t ər / LANG -kih-stər )
6435-412: The poverty line . 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Poverty in Lancaster is twice the state's average, and public school records list more than 900 children as homeless. Although there are many Amish people from this area, not everyone from Lancaster is Amish, contrary to popular belief. Since 2005, Lancaster's downtown has increased
6552-562: The 2010 census, the city was 55.2% White , 16.3% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.0% Asian , 0.1% Native Hawaiian , and 5.8% were two or more races. 39.3% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of the census of 2000, there were 56,348 people, 20,933 households, and 12,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,616.5 people per square mile (2,940.7 people/km ). There were 23,024 housing units at an average density of 3,112.1 per square mile (1,201.6/km ). The racial makeup of
6669-584: The English city of Lancaster by native John Wright . Its symbol, the red rose , is from the House of Lancaster . Lancaster was part of the 1681 Penn's Woods Charter of William Penn , and was laid out by James Hamilton in 1734. It was incorporated as a borough in 1742 and incorporated as a city in 1818. During the American Revolution , Lancaster served for one day as the temporary capital of
6786-620: The Susquehanna River to access food and supplies before heading north towards Canada. During the American Civil War , Harrisburg was a significant training center for the Union Army , with tens of thousands of troops passing through Camp Curtin . It was also a major rail center for the Union and a vital link between the Atlantic coast and the Midwest, with several railroads running through
6903-566: The Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic , an international, professional bicycle racing event held each June since 1992. It was part of the 2006–2007 UCI America Tour and the 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour . Professional golf is well represented by the Professional Golf Association 's Jim Furyk . He placed 4th in the 1998 and 2003 Masters tournament, won the 2003 U.S. Open, placed fourth in
7020-585: The Transportation Center or 1/2 block away on Market Street between 4th Street and Aberdeen Street. These nearby CAT stops that are within easy walking distance of the Harrisburg Transportation Center enable convenient transfers between local public transit and intercity rail and bus services. The public transit provider in York County , Rabbit Transit , operates its commuter-oriented RabbitEXPRESS bus service on weekdays between
7137-461: The United States , seated at the Court House (built 1739, destroyed by fire in 1784 and rebuilt before relocating to current Lancaster County Courthouse in 1852; original site is now the Soldiers & Sailors Monument at Penn Square c. 1874), on September 27, 1777, after the Continental Congress fled Philadelphia , which had been captured by the British. The revolutionary government then moved still farther away to York, Pennsylvania . Lancaster
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#17327918833197254-570: The area. Stephen R. Reed was elected mayor in 1981 and served until 2009, making him the city's longest-serving mayor. In an effort to end the city's long period of economic troubles, he initiated several projects to attract new business and tourism to the city. Several museums and hotels such as Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts , the National Civil War Museum and the Hilton Harrisburg and Towers were built during his term, along with many office buildings and residential structures. Several minor league professional sports franchises, including
7371-416: The authority to file for bankruptcy and conferred it on the state receiver. After two years of negotiations, in August 2013 Receiver Lynch revealed his comprehensive voluntary plan for resolving Harrisburg's fiscal problems. The complex plan called for creditors to write down or postpone some debt. To pay the remainder, Harrisburg sold the troubled incinerator, leased its parking garages for 40 years, and
7488-478: The basement floor for short-term personal storage and both restrooms and payphones on both the first and basement floors. One of the station's tracks features a PRR GG1 locomotive on display, which can be viewed by the passengers waiting on the adjoining platforms. Amtrak provides service to the station via the Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian routes, which operate along the Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor . The Harrisburg Transportation Center
7605-467: The birth of lobbying on a national scale) led to the passage of the high protective-tariff bill of 1828. In 1839, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler were nominated for president and vice president of the United States at the first national convention of the Whig Party of the United States, which was held in Harrisburg. Before Harrisburg gained its first industries, it was a scenic, pastoral town: compact and surrounded by farmland. In 1822,
7722-415: The capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812. The city's primary industries include healthcare, tourism, public administration, manufacturing, and both professional and semi-professional services. Lancaster is a hub of Pennsylvania Dutch Country , located 59 miles (95 km) southwest of Allentown and 61 miles (98 km) west of Philadelphia . Originally called Hickory Town, the city was renamed after
7839-419: The capitol. They were mostly one story. No factories were present but there were blacksmith shops and other businesses. The ownership of land concentrated in the hands of a small number of wealthy families: five people held one-third of private land in 1850. During the first part of the 19th century, Harrisburg was a notable stopping place along the Underground Railroad , as persons escaping slavery utilized
7956-447: The cities of Lancaster and Philadelphia. Opened in 1795, the turnpike was paved with stone the whole way, and overlaid with gravel. The sixty-two-mile turnpike cost more than $ 450,000, a staggering sum for the time. The route followed what is now Pennsylvania Route 340 (also called the "Old Philadelphia Pike") from Lancaster to Thorndale and U.S. Route 30 Business and U.S. Route 30 from Thorndale to Philadelphia. The city of Lancaster
8073-453: The city also paralleled the construction of an expanded monumental Capitol complex in 1906 which led, in turn, to the displacement of the Old Eighth Ward, one of the most ethnically and racially diverse communities in Harrisburg. The decades between 1920 and 1970 were characterized by industrial decline and population shift from the city to the suburbs. Like most other cities which faced a loss of their industrial base, Harrisburg shifted to
8190-437: The city and spanning the Susquehanna River. As a result of this importance, it was a target of General Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia during its two invasions. The first time during the 1862 Maryland Campaign , when Lee planned to capture the city after taking Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , but was prevented from doing so by the Battle of Antietam and his subsequent retreat back into Virginia. The second attempt
8307-455: The city of York and downtown Harrisburg. Like the Capital Area Transit buses, the RabbitEXPRESS does not stop at the HTC itself but does have stops within one block of the facility. Lebanon Transit , which provides public transit service in Lebanon County , operates the Commute King A and Commute King B routes between the city of Lebanon and Harrisburg; with stops adjacent to the station on Market Street. Finally, R & J Transportation ,
8424-436: The city was $ 26,920, and the median income for a family was $ 29,556. Males had a median income of $ 90,670 versus $ 24,405 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,787. About 23.4% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 34.9% of those under age 13 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over. The very first census taken in the United States occurred in 1790. At that time Harrisburg
8541-412: The city was 61.55% White , 14.09% African American , 0.44% Native American , 2.46% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 17.44% from other races , and 3.94% from two or more races. 30.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino people of any race. The largest ethnic groups in Lancaster as of recent estimates are: In 2010, 29.2% of Lancaster residents were of Puerto Rican ancestry. The city has
8658-653: The city was named for Lancaster native Robert Fulton , a renaissance man who created the first fully functional steamboat. All of these individuals have had local schools named after them. After the American Revolutionary War , Lancaster became an iron-foundry center. Two of the most common products needed by pioneers to settle the Frontier were manufactured in Lancaster: the Conestoga wagon and
8775-544: The current Lancaster County Prison , known locally as Lancaster Castle, was built in the city but shares no visual similarities with the Lancaster Castle in England. The prison remains in use, and was used for public hangings until 1912. It replaced a 1737 structure on a different site . The first long-distance paved road in the United States was the former Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike , which connected
8892-443: The east. Harrisburg is the northern fringe of the historic Pennsylvania Dutch Country . The city is the county seat of Dauphin County . The adjacent counties are Northumberland County to the north; Schuylkill County to the northeast; Lebanon County to the east; Lancaster County to the south; and York County to the southwest; Cumberland County to the west; and Perry County to the northwest. Harrisburg's western boundary
9009-843: The exhibits of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum and the North Museum of Nature and Science . The National Watch & Clock Museum, founded in 1977, has the largest collection of clocks and watches in North America. Stevens and Smith Historic Site is located within the Vine Street lobby of the Lancaster County Convention Center . The site includes the preserved home of U.S. Senator Thaddeus Stevens and his companion Lydia Hamilton Smith . The underground portion of
9126-549: The ideal location for this type of industry. It was a wide swath of flat land located south of the city, with rail and canal access running its entire 4 mile length. There was plenty of room for houses and its own downtown section. Steelton was a company town, opened in 1866 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. Highly innovative in its steel making process, it became the first mill in the United States to make steel railroad rails by contract. In its heyday Steelton
9243-430: The impressive brick capitol was completed for $ 200,000 (~$ 5.78 million in 2023). Harrisburg's strategic location gave it an advantage over many other towns; it was settled as a trading post in 1719 at a location important to westward expansion, past the Blue Mountain range . The Susquehanna River flowed generally west to east at this location, providing a route for boat traffic from the east. The head of navigation
9360-612: The largest indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, was first held in 1917 and has been held every January since then. The present location of the Show is the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center , located at the corner of Maclay and Cameron streets. On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, along the Susquehanna River located in Londonderry Township which
9477-415: The length of Harrisburg, along its eastern border. It had a succession of three passenger depots, each built on the site of the predecessor, and each of high style architecture, including a train shed to protect passengers from inclement weather. At its peak in 1904, it made 100 passenger stops per day. It extended west to Pittsburgh , across the entire state, and east to Philadelphia , serving Steelton along
9594-464: The main street for the moderately wealthy. State Street, leading from the Capitol directly toward Allison Hill, was planned to provide a grand view of the Capitol dome for those approaching the city from Allison Hill. This trend towards outlying residential areas began slowly in the late 19th century and was largely confined to the trolley line, but the growing prevalence of automobile ownership quickened
9711-720: The name Harrisburg for postal and name-place designation. They include the townships of: Lower Paxton , Middle Paxton , Susquehanna , Swatara and West Hanover in Dauphin County. The borough of Penbrook , located just east of Reservoir Park , was previously known as East Harrisburg. Penbrook, along with the borough of Paxtang , also located just outside the city limits, maintain Harrisburg ZIP codes as well. The United States Postal Service designates 26 ZIP Codes for Harrisburg, including 13 for official use by federal and state government agencies. Harrisburg has
9828-453: The nation's ninth-largest Swedish-American communities in the nation. There were 20,561 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 13 living with them, 23.4% were married couples living together, 24.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
9945-642: The northernmost advance of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. On July 3, 1863, the artillery barrage that marked the beginning of Pickett's Charge of the Battle of Gettysburg was heard from Harrisburg, almost 40 miles away. Harrisburg's importance in the latter half of the 19th century was in the steel industry. It was an important railroad center as well. Steel and iron became dominant industries. Steel and other industries continued to play
10062-412: The number of specialty shops, boutiques, bars, clubs, and galleries. Burle Business Park, the city's only commercial and industrial park. originally opened in 1942 as a U.S. Navy electronics research, development and manufacturing plant operated by RCA . The facility was purchased after World War II by RCA. Burle Business Park was originally occupied by Burle Industries, the successor company to RCA, and
10179-524: The population peaked shortly after the war, but then took a long-overdue dive as people fled from the city. Hastening the white flight to the suburbs were the cheap and available houses being built away from the crime and deteriorating situation of the city. The reduction in city population coincided with the rise in population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area. The trend continued until the 1990s. The Pennsylvania Farm Show ,
10296-459: The region is seen as financially stable in part due to the high concentration of state and federal government agencies. The Pennsylvania Farm Show , the largest indoor agriculture exposition in the U.S., was first held in Harrisburg in 1917 and has been held there every early to mid-January since. The city also hosts the annual Great American Outdoor Show , the largest of its kind in the world, among many other events . Harrisburg experienced
10413-573: The region may receive very little snowfall. Snow that does fall often melts away quickly. The largest snowfall on a single calendar day was 26.4 in (67 cm) on January 23, 2016 , recorded at Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, while the snowiest month on record was February 2010, with 42.1 in (107 cm), recorded at the same location. Overall Harrisburg receives an average of 29.9 in (75.9 cm) of snow per winter. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Harrisburg
10530-597: The region's Amish and Mennonite communities. The museum was closed in 2011. The Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society Museum and the Heritage Center Museum display artifacts and interpret the region's unique history. Children can have a hands-on experience with educational learning at the Hands-on House, also known as the Children's Museum of Lancaster. Nature and geology-minded visitors can view
10647-614: The route. The anthracite coal mines in the Allegheny Mountains were reached by the Northern Central Railroad. The Lebanon Valley Railroad extended east to Philadelphia with spurs to New York City . Another rail line was the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad , which provided service to Philadelphia and other points east. Allison Hill , Harrisburg's first suburb, is located east of the city on
10764-472: The school system deficit, the school district's $ 437 million long-term debt, nor unfunded pension and healthcare obligations. Harrisburg was the first municipality ever in the history of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to be charged with securities fraud, for misleading statements about its financial health. The city agreed to a plea bargain to settle the case. In October 2011, Harrisburg filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy when four members of
10881-477: The second highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania after Reading . For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the "Spanish Rose." Lancaster celebrates its Puerto Rican heritage once every year with the Puerto Rican Festival. There were 20,933 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples living together, 19.0% had
10998-614: The seven-member City Council voted to file a bankruptcy petition in order to prevent the Pennsylvania State Government from taking over the city's finances. Bankruptcy Judge Mary France dismissed the petition on the grounds that the City Council majority had filed it over the objection of Mayor Linda Thompson , reasoning that the filing not only required the mayor's approval but had circumvented state laws concerning financially distressed cities. Instead,
11115-609: The site includes a recently discovered Underground Railroad feature: a converted water cistern used in the antebellum years to hide fugitive slaves on their way to freedom. In Lancaster County, the Landis Valley Museum in Manheim Township has exhibits that interpret the county's history and culture, especially as a center of ethnic German Amish and Mennonite culture. The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra has been performing since 1947. The Fulton Opera House
11232-511: The state Commonwealth Court approved the plan, and became implemented. The city balanced its budget in the late 2010s, was expected to have a surplus of $ 1 million in 2019, and maintained a surplus in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic . Harrisburg is located at 40°16′11″N 76°52′32″W / 40.26972°N 76.87556°W / 40.26972; -76.87556 (40.269789, -76.875613) in South Central Pennsylvania , within
11349-469: The state legislature selected the small town of Harrisburg to become the state capital in 1812. The grandeur of the Colonial Revival capitol dominated the quaint town. The streets were dirt, but orderly and platted in grid pattern. The Pennsylvania Canal was built in 1834 and coursed the length of the town. The residential houses were situated on only a few city blocks stretching southward from
11466-457: The station. Some of the key cities and large towns served with one-seat rides by each bus operator are as follows: With both Greyhound and Fullington Trailways, many in-state and out-of-state cities and towns beyond those listed can be reached via transfers. The local public transit operator in the Harrisburg area, Capital Area Transit (CAT), has many local and express bus routes that stop either along Aberdeen Street almost immediately outside
11583-575: The still-used U.S. railway stations built slightly later in the early 1900s that have white stone facing, including 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and Washington Union Station in Washington, D.C. The building, which is owned by Amtrak and managed and operated by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority, contains office space above the building's main lobby that is used by various tenants . It also contains
11700-563: The story of the Pennsylvania. The state capitol is only the third-tallest building of Harrisburg. The five tallest buildings are 333 Market Street with a height of 341 feet (104 m), Pennsylvania Place with a height of 291 feet (89 m), the Pennsylvania State Capitol with a height of 272 feet (83 m), Presbyterian Apartments with a height of 259 feet (79 m) and the Fulton Bank Building with
11817-572: The trend and spread out the population in the 20th century. In the early 20th century, the city of Harrisburg was in need of change. Without proper sanitation, diseases such as typhoid began killing many citizens of Harrisburg. Seeing these necessary changes, several Harrisburg residents became involved in the City Beautiful movement . The project focused on providing better transportation, spaces for recreation, sanitation, landscaping, and parks for those living in cities, as research showed that
11934-631: The well-known painter Charles Demuth , who had a national reputation in the 20th century. Additional museums include the Lancaster Museum of Art and the Philips Museum of Art on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College . Art students at the state-of-the-art Pennsylvania College of Art and Design present their works at the academy's gallery, which is open to the public. LancasterARTS, a non-profit organization founded in 2002, promotes contemporary arts and crafts. Lancaster city has
12051-408: Was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.15. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 13 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 13 and over, there were 84.8 males. The median income for a household in
12168-402: Was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 29,770, and the median income for a family was $ 34,623. Males had a median income of $ 27,833 versus $ 21,862 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,955. 21.2% of the population and 17.9% of families were below
12285-422: Was a short distance northwest of the town, where the river flowed through the pass. Persons arriving from the east by boat had to exit at Harrisburg and prepare for an overland journey westward through the mountain pass. Harrisburg assumed importance as a provisioning stop at this point where westward bound pioneers transitioned from river travel to overland travel. It was partly because of its strategic location that
12402-399: Was a small, but substantial colonial town with a population of 875 residents. With the increase of the city's prominence as an industrial and transportation center, Harrisburg reached its peak population build up in 1950, topping out at nearly 90,000 residents. Since the 1950s, Harrisburg, along with other northeastern urban centers large and small, has experienced a declining population that
12519-419: Was built by PRR in 1887 and significantly rebuilt with its distinctive barn roof in 1905 following a serious fire in 1904. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and is also designated as a National Historic Landmark . The station is one of the few railway stations in the United States that still has a train shed above the tracks. It also has a red brick exterior, unlike many of
12636-554: Was home to more than 16,000 residents from 33 different ethnic groups. All were employed in the steel industry, or had employment in services that supported it. In the late 19th century, no less than five major steel mills and foundries were located in Steelton. Each contained a maze of buildings; conveyances for moving the products; large yards for laying down equipment; and facilities for loading their product on trains. Stacks from these factories constantly belched smoke. With housing and
12753-521: Was home to several important figures in American history. Wheatland , the estate of James Buchanan , the fifteenth President of the United States, is one of Lancaster's most popular attractions. Thaddeus Stevens , considered among the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives , lived in Lancaster as an attorney. Stevens gained notoriety as a Radical Republican and for his abolitionism . The Fulton Opera House in
12870-596: Was later achieved via the State Street Bridge leading east from the Capitol complex and the Market Street Bridge leading from the city's prominent business district. Among the most desirable sections of Allison Hill at the time was Mount Pleasant, which was characterized by large Colonial Revival -style houses with yards for the very wealthy and smaller but still well-built row houses lining
12987-519: Was left unrepaired, and the heart of the city's financial woes was a trash-to-electricity plant, the Harrisburg incinerator , which was supposed to generate income but instead, because of increased borrowing, incurred a debt of $ 320 million. Missing audits and convoluted transactions, including swap agreements, make it difficult to state how much debt the city owes. Some estimates put total debt over $ 1.5 billion, which would mean that every resident would owe $ 30,285. These numbers do not reflect
13104-617: Was made during the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863 and was more substantial. Under orders from Gen. Robert E. Lee directly, Confederate Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell 's Second Corps were tasked with capturing Harrisburg and disrupting the vital Union supply and rail lines. However, Ewell's forces were intercepted by the forces of the Department of the Susquehanna under the command of Union Maj. Gen. Darius N. Couch in
13221-470: Was the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812, with the state capital located at the Court House (built 1784 and demolished 1852 and now site of Soldiers & Sailors Monument at Penn Square). In 1812, the capital was moved to Harrisburg , where it has remained since. U.S. census reports show that, from 1800 to 1900, Lancaster ranked among the nation's top 100 most populous urban areas. In 1851,
13338-458: Was the winter of 2009-10 when 72 inches of snow fell and the smallest amount of snow on record was when four inches fell during the winter of 1949–50. The highest recorded January temperature was 77 °F (25 °C) on January 26, 1950, and the coldest July temperature 42 °F (6 °C) on July 4, 1918. On average, the city receives 203 days of sun a year. The shortest days of the year are between December 18 and December 25, when day length
13455-437: Was to briefly go further into debt by issuing new bonds. Receiver Lynch had also called for setting up nonprofit investment corporations to oversee infrastructure improvement, repairing the city's crumbling roads and water and sewer lines, and pensions and economic development. These were intended to allow nonprofit fundraising and to reduce the likelihood of mismanagement by the city government. Harrisburg's City Council and
13572-747: Was torn down in the early 1960s to make room for a new post office; however, it continued passenger service on the Queen of the Valley . The last northbound train bound for Sunbury, Williamsport and Buffalo was the Penn Central 's unnamed successor to the Buffalo Day Express , ending in 1971. The last Erie-bound PRR trains were in 1965 before the Northern Express and Southern Express were diverted to Buffalo. The current station
13689-501: Was −22 °F (−30 °C) on January 21, 1994 . Spring is also a pleasant time of year for outdoor activities. Precipitation is well-distributed and generous in most months, though July is clearly the wettest and February the driest. See or edit raw graph data . Downtown Harrisburg, which includes the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex , is the central core business and financial center for
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