Harrisburg - PA State Capital

Harrisburg, PA across the Susquehanna River.

We drove around Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, which is situated on the Susquehanna River and westerly of Hershey about ten miles.  The river itself is wide and beautiful stretching from east to west toward the mountains of Western Pennsylvania and appears to be shallow in places as its headwater is just west of Harrisburg at a pass in the mountain ridge which is very visible from Harrisburg. 

This gap was one of the reasons the town developed here in the late 1700s.  Travelers came by boat from the east, stopped here and provisioned themselves for their travel further westerly.  Utilizing the passage through the mountains via this gap, travel at this point became by land on either foot, horseback or wagon.  Eventually, the railroad connected the Atlantic coast to the Midwest with several railroads running through Harrisburg.

John Harris Bridge

The John Harris arched bridge crossing the river today has almost a Roman look.  The Colonial Revival capital building is grand with sweeping steps leading up to the rotunda with large, white statues on either side of the entry.  A large fountain in the back of the building stands before the stairs.  The building was built in 1822 at a mere cost of $200,000!

Sadly, apparently the city is broke and attempted to file bankruptcy in 2011.  The governor of the state said it was illegal for Harrisburg to attempt to file bankruptcy and it appears the situation is in limbo as the politicians argue about it.  Meanwhile, it is possible to drive through streets in a neighborhood just across the river from the capital buildings and see burnt out row houses with windows boarded up.  People sit on the outdoor steps of other buildings that anyone else would say should be torn down they are in such ill repair.  Sadly, their average income is so low, they would be hard pressed to have any funds left over to invest in their property after living expenses anyway.  Hopefully, the “rebirth of the city” that awaits court approval will improve the situation in which Harrisburg finds itself.

Entrance to the Capital Building in Harrisburg.