Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg
—  City  —
City of Harrisburg
Downtown Harrisburg and the Pennsylvania State Capitol, as seen from Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "Pennsylvania's Capital City".
Location in Dauphin County and state of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg Location in Pennsylvania
Coordinates:
Country	United States
Commonwealth	Pennsylvania
County	Dauphin
European settlement	About 1719
Incorporated	1791
Charter	1860
Founder	John Harris, Sr.
Named for	John Harris, Sr.
Government
- Type	Mayor-Council
- Mayor	Linda D. Thompson (D)
- City Controller	Daniel C. Miller (D)
- City Council	Council Members[1] Gloria Martin-Roberts (President) Patty Kim (Vice President) Brad Koplinski Wanda D. Williams Susan Brown Wilson Kelly D. Summerford Eugenia G. Smith
- State Senate	Jeffrey E. Piccola (R)
- State Representative	Ron Buxton (D)
Area
- City	11.4 sq mi (26.9 km2)
- Land	8.1 sq mi (21.0 km2)
- Water	3.3 sq mi (8.6 km2)
- Urban	335.4 sq mi (539.7 km2)
Elevation	320 ft (98 m)
Population (U.S. Census Estimate, 2007)
- City	47,196
- Density	6,043.2/sq mi (2,333.3/km2)
- Urban	362,782
- Metro	528,892 (97nd)
- CSA	647,390 (56th)
- Demonym	Harrisburger
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	17101-17113, 17120-17130, 17140, 17177
Area code(s)	717
FIPS code	42-32800[2]
GNIS feature ID	1213649[3]
Interstates	I-76, I-78, I-81, I-83, and I-283
Waterways	Susquehanna River
Primary Airport	Harrisburg International Airport- MDT (Major/International)
Secondary Airport	Capital City Airport- CXY (Minor)
Public transit	Capital Area Transit
Website	www.harrisburgpa.gov

Harrisburg is the capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 48,950, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem and Lancaster. The Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon, PA combined statistical area contains 647,390 residents.

Harrisburg is the county seat of Dauphin County^[4] and lies on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, 105 miles (169 km) west-northwest of Philadelphia. The Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties, had a population of 509,074 in 2000. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 528,892, making it the fifth largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (the Lehigh Valley), and Scranton-Wilkes Barre.^[5] The Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon Combined Statistical Area, including both the Harrisburg-Carlisle and Lebanon Metropolitan Statistical Areas, had an estimated population of 656,781 in 2007.^[6]

Harrisburg played a notable 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 the Pennsylvania Railroad allowed Harrisburg to become one of the most industrialized cities in the Northeastern United States. The U.S. Navy ship USS Harrisburg, which served from 1918 to 1919 at the end of World War I, was named in honor of the city.

In the mid-to-late 20th century, the city's economic fortunes have fluctuated with its major industries consisting of government, heavy manufacturing including the production of steel, agriculture (the greater Harrisburg area is at the heart of the fertile Pennsylvania Dutch Country), and food services (nearby Hershey is home of the chocolate maker, located just 10 miles east of Harrisburg). In 1981, following contractions in the steel and dairy industries, Harrisburg was declared the second most distressed city in the nation.^[7] The city subsequently experienced a resurgence under its former mayor Stephen R. Reed,^[8] with nearly $3 billion in new investment realized during his lengthy tenure.^[8] In 2010 Forbes rated Harrisburg as the second best place to raise a family.^[9] The 2009 financial crisis and resulting recession have recently taken their toll on Harrisburg municipal finances. Harrisburg has not been able to budget for $68m in debt payments due to a local $288m incinerator project. On Sept 1, 2010, Harrisburg announced its intention to skip a debt payment of $3.29m on the incinerator project and the City Controller has suggested possible trouble with the City's General Obligation bonds. Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy may well be in Harrisburg's future. ^[10]

The Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, was first held in Harrisburg in 1917 and has been held there every early to mid January since then.^[11] Harrisburg also hosts an annual outdoor sports show, the largest of its kind in North America, as well as an auto show, which features a large static display of new as well as classic cars and is renowned nationwide. Harrisburg is also known for the infamous Three Mile Island accident, which occurred on March 28, 1979 in Londonderry Township near Middletown.

History

Founding

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, as the trails leading from the Delaware to the Ohio rivers, and from the Potomac to the Upper Susquehanna intersected there. The first European contact with Native Americans in Pennsylvania was made by the 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 km²) in this vicinity. In 1785, John Harris, Jr. made plans to lay out 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 was named the Pennsylvania state capital in October 1812, and has been since.

Postcard depicting Market Street in Downtown Harrisburg as it appeared in 1910. Trolley tracks are noticeable along the street.

Railroads and the American Industrial Revolution

During the first part of the 19th century, Harrisburg was a notable stopping place along the Underground Railroad, as escaped slaves would be transported across the Susquehanna River and were often fed and given supplies before heading north towards Canada.^[12] The assembling here of the Harrisburg Convention in 1827 led to the passage of the high protective-tariff bill of 1828. In 1839, Harrison and Tyler were nominated for President of the United States at the first national convention of the Whig Party of the United States, which was held in Harrisburg. By the 1830s Harrisburg was part of the Pennsylvania canal system and an important railroad center as well. Steel and iron became dominant industries. Steel and other industries continued to play a major role in the local economy throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century. The city was the center of enormous railroad traffic and 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.^[13]

American Civil War

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 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 was made during the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863 and was more substantial. A short skirmish took place in June 1863 at Sporting Hill, just 2 miles west of Harrisburg. This is considered by many to be the northern-most battle of the Civil War.

Early 20th century to present

In the early 20th century, several Harrisburg residents became involved in the City Beautiful movement. Mira Lloyd Dock and Horace McFarland advocated urban improvements which were influenced by European urban planning design and the World's Columbian Exposition. 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 the burial of electric wires, the creation of a modern sanitary sewer system, and the beautification of an expanded Capitol complex.

Anti-nuclear protest at Harrisburg in 1979, following the Three Mile Island accident.

Many important events have helped to shape Harrisburg over the years. The Pennsylvania Farm Show, 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 State Farm Show Arena, located at the corner of Maclay and Cameron streets. In June 1972, Harrisburg was hit by a major flood from the remnants of hurricane Agnes.

On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, along the Susquehanna River located in Londonderry Township which 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 the area.^[14]

After Harrisburg suffered years of being in bad shape economically, Stephen R. Reed was elected mayor in 1981 and served until 2009, making him the city's longest serving mayor. He immediately started projects which would attract both businesses and tourists. 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 residences. Several semi-professional sports franchises, including the Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League, the defunct Harrisburg Heat indoor soccer club and the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division 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 a never-realized museum celebrating the American West.^[15]

Downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania panorama, as seen from the John Harris Bridge (2000).

Geography

Topography

Harrisburg is located at (40.269789, -76.875613) in South Central Pennsylvania.^[16] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.4 square miles (29.6 km²), of which, 8.1 square miles (21.0 km²) of it is land and 3.3 square miles (8.6 km²) of it (29.11%) is water. Bodies of water include Paxton Creek which empties into the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, as well as Wildwood Lake and Italian Lake parks.

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 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.

	Lewistown State College	Lewisburg Selinsgrove	Pottsville Hazelton
	Altoona Carlisle Shippensburg		Lebanon Reading
		Harrisburg
	Gettysburg Frederick	York Baltimore	Lancaster Philadelphia

Adjacent municipalities

Harrisburg's western boundary is formed by the Susquehanna River, which also serves as the boundary between Dauphin and Cumberland counties. The city 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 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 of 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.^[17]

• Dauphin County
  • Lower Paxton Township (east)
  • Penbrook (northeast)
  • Paxtang (east)
  • Susquehanna Township (northeast)
  • Swatara Township (southeast)
• Cumberland County
  • East Pennsboro Township (west)
  • Lemoyne (west)
  • New Cumberland (southwest)
  • Wormleysburg (west)

Climate

The climate in Harrisburg varies and has four distinct seasons. Harrisburg is on the northern edge of the Humid Subtropical climate zone. Areas just to the north would be in the Humid Continental Zone. The hottest month of the year is July with an average high temperature of 86 degrees and a low of 66 degrees. Summer is usually hot and humid and occasional heat waves can occur from time to time. The city averages around 15 days per year with above 90 degree temps although temps above 100 degrees are rare. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Harrisburg is 107 in 1966. Summer thunderstorms also can occur on a daily basis. Fall is a very nice time of the year where the higher humidity and temperatures move out.

Winter in Harrisburg is generally cold. January is the coldest month of the year with an average high of 38 degrees and a low of 23 degrees. A decent snowstorm can also occasionally occur. Some winters snowfall totals can exceed 60 inches when in other winters the city may receive very little snowfall. The snowiest month recorded on record was in February 2010 where 42 inches of snow was recorded at Harrisburg International Airport. Overall Harrisburg receives an average of 35 inches of snow per winter. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Harrisburg was -22 degrees back in 1994. Spring is also a nice time of year to do outdoor activities. Harrisburg receives about 37 inches of rain each year with May being the wettest month and October being the driest.

Cityscape

Neighborhoods

Center City Harrisburg, which includes the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex, is the central core business and financial center for the greater Harrisburg metropolitan 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.

Architecture

Harrisburg 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, most notably the two groups, 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 the story of the Commonwealth of 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 a height of 255 feet (78 m).^[19]

People and culture in Harrisburg

Culture

Harrisburg's Market Square. Formerly the site of a market in Downtown Harrisburg, today it is a public transport hub and commercial center.

Downtown Harrisburg has two major performance centers. The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, which was completed in 1999, is the first center of its type in the United States where education, science and the performing arts take place under one roof. The Forum, a 1,763-seat concert and lecture hall built in 1930-31, is a state-owned and operated facility located within the State Capitol Complex. Since 1931, The Forum has been home to the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Beginning in 2001, downtown Harrisburg saw a surge of commercial nightlife development. This has been credited with reversing the city's financial decline, and has made downtown Harrisburg a destination for events from jazz festivals to Top-40 nightclubs.

Harrisburg is also the home of the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest agricultural exhibition of its kind in the nation. Farmers from all over Pennsylvania come to show their animals and participate in competitions. Livestock are on display for people to interact with and view. In 2004, Harrisburg hosted CowParade, an international public art exhibit that has been featured in major cities all over the world. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations and parks. They often feature artwork and designs specific to local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes.

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that in 2005 there were an estimated 47,472 people living in Harrisburg. In the census^[2] of 2000, there were 48,950 people, 20,561 households, and 10,917 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,035.6 people per square mile (2,330.4/km²). There were 24,314 housing units at an average density of 2,997.9/sq mi (1,157.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 31.72% White, 54.83% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 6.54% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more races. 11.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Harrisburg is the 6th most populous city in eastern Pennsylvania and 47th in the nation of Vietnamese population with 2,649 residents.^[21]

There were 20,561 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 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 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 18 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 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,920, and the median income for a family was $29,556. Males had a median income of $27,670 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 18 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 was a small, but substantial colonial town with a population of 875 residents.^[22] 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 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.^[23] 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.

Reversing fifty years of decline, 2007 Census Bureau estimates show that Harrisburg's population has actually grown. Between 2006 and 2007, Harrisburg gained 22 people.

Media

The Harrisburg area has two daily newspapers. The Patriot-News is published in Harrisburg and has a daily circulation of over 100,000. The Sentinel, which is published in Carlisle, roughly 20 miles west of Harrisburg, serves many of Harrisburg's western suburbs in Cumberland County. The Press and Journal, published in Middletown, is one of many weekly, general information newspapers in the Harrisburg area. Harrisburg has one monthly community newspaper, TheBurg. There are also numerous television and radio stations in the Harrisburg/Lancaster/York area, which makes up the 39th largest media market in the nation.^[24]

Newspapers

• TheBurg
• Central Penn Business Journal
• Carlisle Sentinel, The
• The Patriot-News
• Press and Journal (Pennsylvania)

Television

The Harrisburg TV market is served by:

• WGAL - (NBC)
• WLYH-TV - (The CW)
• WHBG-TV - cable-only, public access
• WHP-TV - (CBS)
• WHTM-TV - (ABC)
• W35BT - (CTVN)
• WITF-TV - (PBS)
• WPMT - (Fox)
• WGCB-TV - independent, religious
• PCN-TV, is a cable television network dedicated to 24-hour coverage of government and public affairs in the commonwealth.
• Roxbury News - independent news

•  •  •  • Johnstown/Altoona/State College •  • Philadelphia •  • Scranton/Wilkes-Barre • Susquehanna Valley (Harrisburg) • Washington, DC • 

Radio

According to Arbitron, Harrisburg's radio market is ranked #78th in the nation.^[25]

•  • Johnstown •  •  •  •  •  • Warren

This is a list of FM stations in the greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metropolitan area.

This is a list of AM stations in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metropolitan area:

Harrisburg in film

Several feature films and television series have been filmed or set in and around Harrisburg and the greater Susquehanna Valley.

Museums, art collections, and sites of interest

Pennsylvania Holocaust Memorial along Harrisburgs' Riverfront Park/Capital Area Greenbelt

• Broad Street Market, one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the United States.^[26]
• Capital Area Greenbelt, a twenty mile long greenway linking city neighborhoods, parks and open spaces
• Dauphin County Veteran's Memorial Obelisk inspired by the classic Roman/Egyptian obelisk form; located in uptown Harrisburg
• Fort Hunter Mansion and Park, located north of downtown Harrisburg on a bluff overlooking the Susquehanna River
• John Harris - Simon Cameron Mansion, a National Historic Landmark located in downtown Harrisburg along the river
• National Civil War Museum, located at Reservoir Park and affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.^[27].
• Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
• Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, one of the largest convention/exhibition centers on the east coast
• Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex, the center of government for the commonwealth and home to the state capitol building, state archives, and state library
• Reservoir Park, the largest public park in the city
• State Museum of Pennsylvania
• Strawberry Square, across the street from the Capitol Complex, home of many state offices and a small shopping center
• Susquehanna art museum, located in downtown Harrisburg
• Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, features an IMAX theater

Parks and recreation

• City Island and Beach
• Riverfront Park
• Italian Lake
• Wildwood Lake Park
• Reservoir Park
• Capital Area Greenbelt

Notable residents

Since the early 1700s, Harrisburg has been home to many people of note. Because it is the seat of government for the state and lies relatively close to other urban centers, Harrisburg has played a significant role in the nation's political, cultural and industrial history. Harrisburgers have also taken a leading role in the development of Pennsylvania's history for over two centuries. Two former U.S. Secretaries of War, Simon Cameron and Alexander Ramsey and several other prominent political figures, such as former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich, hail from Harrisburg. The actor Don Keefer was born near Harrisburg, along with the actor Richard Sanders, most famous for playing Less Nessmen in WKRP in Cincinnati . Many notable individuals are interred at Harrisburg Cemetery and East Harrisburg Cemetery.

Sports

Harrisburg serves as the hub of semi-professional sports in South Central Pennsylvania. A host of teams compete in the region including three professional baseball teams, the Harrisburg Senators, the Lancaster Barnstormers, and the York Revolution. The Senators are the oldest team of the three, with the current incarnation playing since 1987. The original Harrisburg Senators began playing in the Eastern League in 1924. Playing its home games at Island Field, the team won the league championship in the 1927, 1928, and 1931 seasons. The Senators played a few more seasons before flood waters destroyed Island Field in 1936, effectively ending Eastern League participation for fifty-one years. In 1940, Harrisburg gained an Interstate League team affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates; however, the team remained in the city only until 1943, when it moved to nearby York and renamed the York Pirates. The current Harrisburg Senators, affiliated with the Washington Nationals, have won the Eastern League championship in the 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 seasons.

Sports teams based in South Central Pennsylvania Baseball EL: Harrisburg Senators — ALPB: Lancaster Barnstormers • York Revolution Basketball EBA: Harrisburg Horizon — GPBL-2: Lancaster Liberty — WEBA: Harrisburg Lady Horizon Football SIFL: Harrisburg Stampede — WFA: Keystone Assault Hockey AHL: Hershey Bears Soccer USL: Harrisburg City Islanders, WPSL: Lancaster Inferno College athletics NCAA Div. II: Millersville University of Pennsylvania • Shippensburg University • NCAA Div. III: Elizabethtown College • Franklin & Marshall College • Lebanon Valley College • Messiah College • York College of Pennsylvania Main Articles: Pennsylvania sports • Sports in South Central Pennsylvania

Government

City of Harrisburg

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. City Government Center, the only city hall in the United States named for a civil rights leader, serves as a central location for the administrative functions of the city.^[28] Harrisburg has been served since 1970 by the “strong mayor” form of municipal government, with separate executive and legislative branches. The Mayor serves a four-year term with no term limits. As the full-time chief executive, the Mayor oversees the operation of 34 agencies, run by department and office heads, some of whom comprise the Mayor’s cabinet, including the Departments of Public Safety (police and fire bureaus), Public Works, Business Administration, Parks and Recreation, Incineration and Steam Generation, Building & Housing Development and Solicitor. The city has 721 employees (2003).^[29] The current mayor of Harrisburg is Linda D. Thompson, whose term expires January 2014.

There are seven city council members, all elected at large, who serve part-time for four-year terms. There are two other elected city posts, city treasurer and city controller, who separately head their own fiscally related offices. The current city controller is Daniel C. Miller, whose term expires in January 2014.

Property tax reform

Harrisburg is also known nationally for its use of a two tiered land value taxation. Harrisburg has taxed land at a rate six times that on improvements since 1975, and this policy has been credited by its former mayor, Stephen R. Reed, as well as by the city's former city manager during the 1980s with reducing the number of vacant structures located in downtown Harrisburg from about 4,200 in 1982 to fewer than 500 in 1995.^[30] During this same period of time between 1982 and 1995, nearly 4,700 more city residents became employed, the crime rate dropped 22.5% and the fire rate dropped 51%.^[30]

Harrisburg, as well as nearly 20 other Pennsylvania cities, employ a two-rate or split-rate property tax, which requires the taxing of the value of land at a higher rate and the value of the buildings and improvements at a lower one. This can be seen as a compromise between pure LVT and an ordinary property tax falling on real estate (land value plus improvement value).^[31] Alternatively, two-rate taxation may be seen as a form that allows gradual transformation of the traditional real estate property tax into a pure land value tax.

Nearly two dozen local Pennsylvania jurisdictions, such as Harrisburg,^[32] use two-rate property taxation in which the tax on land value is higher and the tax on improvement value is lower. In 2000, Florenz Plassmann and Nicolaus Tideman wrote^[33] that when comparing Pennsylvania cities using a higher tax rate on land value and a lower rate on improvements with similar sized Pennsylvania cities using the same rate on land and improvements, the higher land value taxation leads to increased construction within the jurisdiction.^[34][35]

Dauphin County

Dauphin County Courthouse located along the Susquehanna River at Front and Market Streets in downtown Harrisburg.

Dauphin County Government Complex, in downtown Harrisburg, serves the administrative functions of the county. The trial court of general jurisdiction for Harrisburg rests with the Court of Dauphin County and is largely funded and operated by county resources and employees.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex, dominates the city's stature as a regional and national hub for government and politics. All administrative functions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are located within the complex and at various nearby locations.

Commonwealth Judicial Center, houses Pennsylvania's three appellate courts, which are located in Harrisburg. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which is the court of last resort in the state, regularly hears arguments at. The Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania are located here. Judges for these courts are elected at large.

Federal Government

Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse, located in downtown Harrisburg, serves as the regional administrative offices of the federal government. A branch of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is also located within the courthouse.

Transport

Airports

Domestic and International airlines provide services via Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), which is located southeast of the city in Middletown. HIA is the third-busiest commercial airport in Pennsylvania, both in terms of passengers served and cargo shipments.^[36] Passenger carriers that serve HIA include US Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Air Canada, and AirTran Airways. Capital City Airport (CXY), a moderate-sized business class and general aviation airport, is located across the Susquehanna River in the nearby suburb of New Cumberland, south of Harrisburg. Both airports are owned and operated by the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA), which also manages the Franklin County Regional Airport in Chambersburg and Gettysburg Regional Airport in Gettysburg.

Mass transit

Harrisburg is served by Capital Area Transit (CAT) which provides public bus, paratransit, and commuter rail service throughout the greater metropolitan area. Construction of a commuter rail line designated the Capital Red Rose Corridor (previously named CorridorOne) will eventually link the city with nearby Lancaster in 2010.^[37]

Long-term plans for the region call for the commuter rail line to continue westward to Cumberland County, ending at Carlisle. In early 2005, the project hit a roadblock when the Cumberland County commissioners opposed the plan to extend commuter rail to the West Shore. Due to lack of support from the county commissioners, the Cumberland County portion, and the two new stations in Harrisburg have been removed from the project. In the future, with support from Cumberland County, the commuter rail project may extend to both shores of the Susquehanna River, where the majority of the commuting base for the Harrisburg metropolitan area resides.^[38]

In 2006, a second phase of the rail project designated CorridorTwo was announced to the general public. It will link downtown Harrisburg with its eastern suburbs in Dauphin and Lebanon counties, including the areas of Hummelstown, Hershey and Lebanon, and the city of York in York County.^[38] Future passenger rail corridors also include Route 15 from the Harrisburg area towards Gettysburg, as well as the Susquehanna River communities north of Harrisburg, and the Northern Susquehanna Valley region.^[38]

Intercity bus service

The lower level of the Harrisburg Transport Center serves as the city's intercity bus terminal. Daily bus services are provided by Greyhound, Capitol Trailways, Fullington Trailways, and Susquehanna Trailways. They connect Harrisburg to other Pennsylvania cities such as Allentown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, State College, Williamsport, and York and nearby, out-of-state cities such as Baltimore, Binghamton, New York, Syracuse, and Washington, D.C., plus many other destinations via transfers.^[39]

Regional scheduled line bus service

The public transit provider in York County, Rabbit Transit, operates its RabbitEXPRESS bus service on weekdays between the city of York and both downtown Harrisburg and the main campus for Harrisburg Area Community College. The commuter-oriented service is designed to serve York County residents who work in Harrisburg, though reverse commutes are possible under the current schedule. Buses running this route make limited stops in the city of York and at two park and rides along Interstate 83 between York and Harrisburg before making various stops in Pennsylvania's capital city. As of May 2007, the RabbitEXPRESS operates three times in the morning and three times in the afternoon.

A charter/tour bus operator, R & J Transport, also provides weekday, scheduled route commuter service for people working in downtown Harrisburg. R & J, which is based in Schuylkill County, operates two lines, one between Frackville and downtown Harrisburg and the other between Minersville, Pine Grove, and downtown Harrisburg.

Rail

The Pennsylvania Railroad's main line from New York to Chicago passed through Harrisburg. The line was electrified in the 1930s, with the wires reaching Harrisburg in 1938. They went no further. Plans to electrify through to Pittsburgh and thence to Chicago never saw fruition; sufficient funding was never available. Thus, Harrisburg became where the PRR's crack expresses such as the Broadway Limited changed from electric traction to (originally) a steam locomotive, and later a diesel locomotive. Harrisburg remained a freight rail hub for PRR's successor Conrail, which was later sold off and divided between Norfolk Southern and CSX.

Freight Rail

Norfolk Southern acquired all of Conrail's lines in the Harrisburg area and has continued the city's function as a freight rail hub. Norfolk Southern considers Harrisburg one of the 3 primary hubs in its system, along with Chicago and Atlanta, and operates 2 intermodal (rail/truck transfer) yards in the immediate Harrisburg area.^[40] The Harrisburg Intermodal Yard (formerly called Lucknow Yard) is located in the north end of Harrisburg, approximately 3 miles north of downtown Harrisburg and the Harrisburg Transport Center, while the Rutherford Intermodal Yard is located approximately 6 miles east of downtown Harrisburg in Swatara Township, Dauphin County. Norfolk Southern also operates a significant classification yard in the Harrisburg area, the Enola Yard, which is located across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County.

Intercity Passenger Rail

Amtrak provides service to and from Harrisburg. The passenger rail operator runs its Keystone and Pennsylvanian services between New York, Philadelphia, and the Harrisburg Transportation Center daily. The Pennsylvanian route, which operates once daily, continues west to Pittsburgh. As of April 2007, Amtrak operates 14 weekday roundtrips and 8 weekend roundtrips daily between Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Philadelphia 30th Street Station; most of these trains also travel to and from New York Penn Station. The Keystone Corridor between Harrisburg and Philadelphia was improved in the mid-2000s, with the primary improvements completed in late 2006. The improvements included upgrading the electrical catenary, installing continuously welded rail, and replacing existing wooden railroad ties with concrete ties. These improvements increased train speeds to 110 mph along the corridor and reduced the travel time between Harrisburg and Philadelphia to as little as 95 minutes. It also eliminated the need to change locomotives at 30th Street Station (from diesel to electric and vice-versa) for trains continuing to or coming from New York. As of Federal Fiscal Year 2008, the Harrisburg Transportation Center was the 2nd busiest Amtrak station in Pennsylvania and 21st busiest in the United States.^[41][42]

Bridges

Western span of the Walnut Street Bridge crossing the Susquehanna River, after it collapsed during the 1996 flood.

Harrisburg is the location of over a dozen large bridges, many up to a mile long, that cross the Susquehanna River. Several other important structures span the Paxton Creek watershed and Cameron Street, linking Center City with neighborhoods in East Harrisburg. These include the State Street Bridge, also known as the Soldiers and Sailor's Memorial Bridge, and the Mulberry Street Bridge. Walnut Street Bridge, now used only by pedestrians and cyclists, links the downtown and Riverfront Park areas with City Island but goes no further as spans are missing on its western side due to massive flooding resulting from the North American blizzard of 1996.

Education

Public schools

The City of Harrisburg is served by the Harrisburg School District. The school district provides education for the city’s youth beginning with all-day kindergarten through twelfth grade. A multi-year restructuring plan is aimed at making the district a model for urban public schools. The district has been troubled for years with management fiascos and poor test scores. In the summer of 2007, more than 2,000 city students were enrolled in educational programs offered by the Harrisburg School District as remediation.^[43]

The city also maintains one public charter school, the Sylvan Heights Science Charter School. In addition, Harrisburg is home to an arts-focused magnet school, the Capital Area School for the Arts. In 2003, SciTech High, a regional math and science magnet school affiliated with Harrisburg University, opened its doors to students. A growing number of virtual public charter schools provide residents with many alternative to the bricks and mortar public school system.

The Central Dauphin School District, the largest public school district in the metropolitan area and the 13th largest in Pennsylvania, uses several Harrisburg postal addresses for many of the districts schools.

Private schools

Harrisburg is home to an extensive Catholic educational system. There are nearly 40 parish-driven elementary schools and seven Catholic high schools within the region administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, including Bishop McDevitt High School and Trinity High School. Numerous other private schools, such as The Londonderry School and The Circle School, which is a Sudbury Model school, also operate in Harrisburg. Harrisburg Academy, founded in 1784, is one of the oldest independent college preparatory schools in the nation. The Rabbi David L. Silver Yeshiva Academy, founded in 1944, is a progressive, modern Jewish day school. Also, Harrisburg is home to Harrisburg Christian School, founded in 1955.^[44]

Higher education

In Harrisburg

• Dixon University Center, located in Uptown, serves as the office of Chancellor and the central headquarters of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). With a total student enrollment 110,428^[45], PASSHE is one of the largest university systems in the United States.
• Harrisburg Area Community College: the original campus of the college, the Harrisburg Campus, and Penn Center and Midtown campus which are branches of the Harrisburg Campus are located in Harrisburg. Newer campuses are located in Gettysburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York.
• Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, located in Center City.
• Messiah College's Harrisburg Institute, located in Center City
• Penn State Harrisburg Eastgate Center, located in Center City.
• Temple University Harrisburg Campus, located in Center City.
• Widener University Harrisburg Campus including its School of Law

Near Harrisburg

• Central Pennsylvania College, located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania.
• Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
• Duquesne University (Capital Region Campus), located in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.
• Elizabethtown College, located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Elizabethtown College is a consortium member of the Dixon University Center, offering seven accelerated, undergraduate degree programs in the Harrisburg area.
• Gettysburg College, located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
• Lebanon Valley College, located in Annville, Pennsylvania.
• Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
• Messiah College, located in Grantham, Pennsylvania.
• Millersville University, located in Millersville, Pennsylvania.
• Penn State Dickinson School of Law, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
• Penn State Hershey Medical Center, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• Penn State Harrisburg (Main Campus), located nearby in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
• Shippensburg University, located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
• United States Army War College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
• York College of Pennsylvania, located in York, Pennsylvania.

Libraries

• Dauphin County Law Library
• Dauphin County Library System, with eight branches in Harrisburg and suburban Dauphin County
• McCormick Library of Harrisburg Area Community College
• State Library of Pennsylvania, which includes the Pennsylvania Law Library
• Medical library services of PinnacleHealth System
• Law Library, Widener University School of Law

Sister cities

Harrisburg has two official sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Israel.^[46]
• Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico.^[47]

Notable natives and residents

• James Boyd, a resident of Front Street, wrote a novel about the city in 1935, Roll River.^[48]
• Glenn Branca, an avant-garde composer and guitarist, was born here
• Bruce Brubaker, MLB player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers
• Phil Davis, UFC fighter
• Candace Gingrich, civil rights activist
• Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Representative from Georgia
• Danny Lansanah, NFL player for the Green Bay Packers
• LeSean McCoy, Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles (2009–Present)
• John O'Hara, a native of Pottsville, lived in Harrisburg briefly to write his novel about the city, A Rage to Live, published in 1949. Harrisburg, disguised as Fort Penn, appears also in other O'Hara novels.^[48]
• Bobby Troup, actor, jazz pianist, and songwriter. Known for the standard "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" and as Dr. Joe Early on the TV series Emergency!.
• Robert White, one of the Funk Brothers who played on the Motown hits in the 1960s, was born here
• Nancy Kulp was an American actress best known as "Miss Jane Hathaway" on the popular television series The Beverly Hillbillies.
• Carmen Finestra, TV producer and writer, best known for creating the 1990s sitcom Home Improvement.

See also

• List of cities and towns along the Susquehanna River
• List of companies based in the Harrisburg area
• List of hospitals in Harrisburg
• List of Harrisburg neighborhoods
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
• Sports in South Central Pennsylvania

References

External links

• City of Harrisburg (official website)
• Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District Authority
• Hershey-Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau
• Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Harrisburg City Archives
• Memorials, monuments, statues & other outdoor art in & around Harrisburg (with pictures)
• Harrisburg travel guide from Wikitravel

Articles Relating to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania City of Harrisburg City Flag • City Island • Companies • County • Downtown • History • Historic sites • Hospitals • Language • Mayors • Metropolitan Area • Neighborhoods • Region • School District • State Capitol • Sports  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Harrisburg (capital) Topics Cities | Politics | Government | Delegations | History | Geography | Geology | Pennsylvanians | State parks | Symbols | Visitor attractions Metro areas Altoona | Philadelphia | Erie | Harrisburg–Carlisle | Johnstown | Lancaster | Lebanon | Lehigh Valley | New York | Pittsburgh | Reading | State College | Williamsport | Scranton‑Wilkes-Barre | York-Hanover Cities Allentown | Altoona | Bethlehem | Chester | DuBois | Easton | Erie | Greensburg | Harrisburg | Hazleton | Johnstown | Lancaster | Lebanon | McKeesport | New Castle | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | Pottsville | Reading | Scranton | Sunbury | Wilkes-Barre | Williamsport | York Largest boroughs Baldwin | Berwick | Bethel Park | Brentwood | Carlisle | Chambersburg | Columbia | Darby | Dunmore | Elizabethtown | Emmaus | Ephrata | Franklin Park | Hanover | Hummelstown | Indiana | Kingston | Lansdale | Lansdowne | Monroeville | Munhall | Murrysville | Norristown | Phoenixville | Plum | Pottstown | State College | West Chester | West Mifflin | Whitehall | Wilkinsburg | Wyomissing | Yeadon Regions Allegheny Mountains | Allegheny National Forest | Allegheny Plateau | Atlantic Coastal Plain | Blue Ridge | Coal Region | Cumberland Valley | Delaware Valley | Dutch Country | Endless Mountains | Happy Valley | Laurel Highlands | Lehigh Valley | Main Line | Northeast | Northern Tier | Northwest Region | Oil Region | Pennsylvania Highlands | Piedmont | The Poconos | Ridge and Valley | South Central Pennsylvania | Susquehanna Valley | Western Pennsylvania | Wyoming Valley Counties Adams | Allegheny | Armstrong | Beaver | Bedford | Berks | Blair | Bradford | Bucks | Butler | Cambria | Cameron | Carbon | Centre | Chester | Clarion | Clearfield | Clinton | Columbia | Crawford | Cumberland | Dauphin | Delaware | Elk | Erie | Fayette | Forest | Franklin | Fulton | Greene | Huntingdon | Indiana | Jefferson | Juniata | Lackawanna | Lancaster | Lawrence | Lebanon | Lehigh | Luzerne | Lycoming | McKean | Mercer | Mifflin | Monroe | Montgomery | Montour | Northampton | Northumberland | Perry | Philadelphia | Pike | Potter | Schuylkill | Snyder | Somerset | Sullivan | Susquehanna | Tioga | Union | Venango | Warren | Washington | Wayne | Westmoreland | Wyoming | York Municipalities and communities of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania County seat: Harrisburg City Harrisburg Boroughs Berrysburg | Dauphin | Elizabethville | Gratz | Halifax | Highspire | Hummelstown | Lykens | Middletown | Millersburg | Paxtang | Penbrook | Pillow | Royalton | Steelton | Williamstown Townships Conewago | Derry | East Hanover | Halifax | Jackson | Jefferson | Londonderry | Lower Paxton | Lower Swatara | Lykens | Middle Paxton | Mifflin | Reed | Rush | South Hanover | Susquehanna | Swatara | Upper Paxton | Washington | Wayne | West Hanover | Wiconisco | Williams CDPs Bressler-Enhaut-Oberlin | Colonial Park | Hershey | Lawnton | Linglestown | Paxtonia | Progress | Rutherford | Skyline View Other communities Bachmanville | Dietrich | Deodate | Carsonville | Ebenezer | Edgemont | Ellendale Forge | Enders | Enterline | Estherton | Fort Hunter | Grantville | Hanoverdale | Hanover Heights | Heckton | Hillside Village | Hockersville | Hoernerstown | Inglenook | Jednota | Kline | Loyalton | Lucknow | Malta | Manada Gap | Manada Hill | Matamoras | Montrose Park | Oakleigh | Oberlin Gardens | Paxtang Manor | Palmdale | Piketown | Powells Valley | Ritzie Village | Rockville | Sand Beach | Shellsville | Singersville | Vaughn | Union Deposit | Waynesville  County seats of Pennsylvania Cities Allentown | Butler | Easton | Erie | Franklin | Greensburg | Harrisburg | Lancaster | Lebanon | Lock Haven | Meadville | New Castle | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | Pottsville | Reading | Scranton | Sunbury | Uniontown | Warren | Washington | Wilkes-Barre | Williamsport | York Boroughs Beaver | Bedford | Bellefonte | Bloomfield | Brookville | Carlisle | Chambersburg | Clarion | Clearfield | Coudersport | Danville | Doylestown | Ebensburg | Emporium | Gettysburg | Hollidaysburg | Honesdale | Huntingdon | Indiana | Jim Thorpe | Kittanning | Laporte | Lewisburg | Lewistown | McConnellsburg | Media | Mercer | Middleburg | Mifflintown | Milford | Montrose | Norristown | Ridgway | Smethport | Somerset | Stroudsburg | Tionesta | Towanda | Tunkhannock | Waynesburg | Wellsboro | West Chester Town Bloomsburg State capitals of the United States AL Montgomery AK Juneau AZ Phoenix AR Little Rock CA Sacramento CO Denver CT Hartford DE Dover FL Tallahassee GA Atlanta HI Honolulu ID Boise IL Springfield IN Indianapolis IA Des Moines KS Topeka KY Frankfort LA Baton Rouge ME Augusta MD Annapolis MA Boston MI Lansing MN Saint Paul MS Jackson MO Jefferson City MT Helena NE Lincoln NV Carson City NH Concord NJ Trenton NM Santa Fe NY Albany NC Raleigh ND Bismarck OH Columbus OK Oklahoma City OR Salem PA Harrisburg RI Providence SC Columbia SD Pierre TN Nashville TX Austin UT Salt Lake City VT Montpelier VA Richmond WA Olympia WV Charleston WI Madison WY Cheyenne DC Washington1 Territories: AS Pago Pago GU Hagåtña MP Saipan PR San Juan VI Charlotte Amalie 1 Federal capital. Mayors of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 in Pennsylvania     Michael Nutter (Philadelphia) Luke Ravenstahl (Pittsburgh) Ed Pawlowski (Allentown) Joseph Sinnott (Erie) State capital: Linda D. Thompson, (Harrisburg)