- The state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, dates from 1906.
The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is also the seat of Dauphin County. The city lies on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, 105 miles (169 kilometers) west of Philadelphia. Places of interestThe state Capitol, located in a downtown park, has a 272-foot (83-meter) dome patterned after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. It was completed in 1906 to replace the first Capitol, which was destroyed by fire in 1897. Harrisburg has a symphony orchestra and several museums. The William Penn Memorial Museum and Fort Hunter Museum preserve some of the city's early history. The State Museum of Pennsylvania is among the group of buildings (including the Capitol) occupying a 68-acre (28-hectare) downtown park. The museum houses a huge mural depicting the battle of Gettysburg, which was fought nearby during the American Civil War. The John Harris/Simon Cameron Mansion, which dates back to 1766, is now the headquarters of the Dauphin County Historical Society. The Rockville Bridge, spanning the Susquehanna River, was completed in 1902. It is one of the longest stone arch railway bridges in the world. EconomyHarrisburg's economy relies heavily on transportation and manufacturing. The former Pennsylvania and Reading railroads (now Amtrak lines), five national highways, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike run through the city. It is also served by domestic and international airports. Harrisburg's manufacturing industries produce steel, clothing, shoes, electronic equipment, and precision and road machinery. The largest chocolate factory in the world is located in nearby Hershey. HistoryHarrisburg is named after John Harris, an Englishman who received a license in 1705 to trade with the Susquehanna Native Americans. He settled at the site in 1718 and established a trading post. He also started a ferry service for pioneers traveling through the Lebanon and Cumberland valleys. The settlement was first known as Harris's Ferry. Harris's son, John Harris, Jr., established a town in 1785 and named it Louisbourg in honor of France's king Louis XVI. The name was later changed to Harrisburg. Harrisburg was chosen as the third capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1812. ( Earlier, Philadelphia and Lancaster had served as the state's capital.) The city prospered as a busy river port when the Pennsylvania Canal opened in 1834. It soon became a transportation center when the first railroad arrived in 1836. Population (2000 census), 48,950. |