Harrisburg: Pennsylvania's Capital

[Evergrey]

Harrisburg (city pop 48,000, metro 500,000) is located in south-central Pennsylvania. It's the capital of this great commonwealth. It's located on the Susquehanna River and is infamous for the Three Mile Island incident. It's home to many government jobs, but also has a large industrial base.

Harrisburg is small in size... especially considering it has a rather huge suburban metropolitan area... but it packs a punch. It's downtown is very urban, featuring many towers in the 200-341 range (even featuring the tallest building in PA between Pittsburgh and Philly). It's historic architecture downtown is very high quality. It's very dense... and quite lively. There have been many strides made in recent years to improve the quality of life downtown. I was impressed with the many interesting bars, restaurants, clubs, shops and outdoor cafes lining the streets downtown. There were tons of people out and about enjoying downtown Harrisburg both by day and by night.

My pictures are exclusively of the downtown area. I drove through Allison Hill, which is a large neighborhood east of downtown... but did not take any pictures. However, even there... I was amazed by the density and abundance of rowhouses.

Behold the grandeur that is Pennsylvania's capital!

Appalachian Brewing Co.

Amtrak

Rachael Carson Bldg

I watched the new documentary "Mysteries of the Nile" at the IMAX in the Whitaker Center:

It's amazing how "big city" Harrisburg can feel sometimes

Building at left was completed this year... rather bland design IMO

I went a little bridge-crazy when I reached the Susquehanna... this black bridge is the Walnut St. bridge... it is the oldest existing bridge dating from the late 1800s and is now a pedestrian bridge connecting downtown to City Island and eventually the West Shore.

skyline shots from City Island

The natural light was very strange this day

[billpa]

Beautiful pictures!

Harrisburg's center city is always improving and is already a million times more vibrant than it was when I first moved to the area in 2000.

thanks for sharing those photos.

[PghUSA]

Great pics Evergrey . . . dare I say showing us what our tax money buys . Hey at least they are making the commonwealth more beautiful!

[LJinPA]

Very nice... I have to do some more exploring next time I get down there. I just wish there were more places to park downtown.

A great place to view the skyline in it's most urban look is from 83 near the bridge on the east side of the river... Only thing is it's hard to find a place to safely take a pic from there.

What's the scoop on that Harrisburg Polytechnic University...?

[billpa]

Very nice... I have to do some more exploring next time I get down there. I just wish there were more places to park downtown.

There's a new (fairly large) parking garage on Second St., in addition to large garages on Walnut and an older one on Second, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a place.

On weekends I'll often park on State street which is the street that runs between the Capitol and the river- it has parking in the middle along both sides of the barrier that runs down the middle.

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome pictures, I look forward to visiting Harrisburg someday.

[Jerseyman4]

I ought to make a stop at their DT dunkin donuts if im passing through the area next time. The photos looks very nice!

[UrbaniDesDev]

Nice pics. Been through Harrisburg a number of times. I'll have to stop and spend some time there someday

[UrbaniDesDev]

I would like to see Harrisburg become more of a river city. Currently the connections to the river are spotty. I would love to see State Street be a pedestrian mall that ends with a great fountain and better stairs to the river front, having Front Street go under State Street. Harrisburg has a great potential for tourism but doesnt currently have much cohesion. The newer building around the Capital are really ugly and unfriendly. I see State Street as lined with sidewalk cafes, shops and restaurants. Yes, removing traffic from there will be contraversial but the aesthetics would be great. It would connect the Capital with the river visually and physically. Also a boat launch at the foot of State would be nice for canoes and such.

[soverbey]

nice pics of harrisburg, was that tacky capitol dome put on in the 70's?

[PghUSA]

Tacky? Not the best I've seen by far but I'm interested on how it's "tacky".

From everything I have read the dome was built in 1906, I'm not sure if they refurbed it or painted it differently since then.

[tombarnes]

Nice pics of Harrisburg. It's been a few years since I was there. I stayed at the Hilton pictured above. How much nicer it would have been to stay at the old Penn Harris Hotel. Too bad they destroyed it. As for the capitol building, I enjoyed the tour.

[krazeeboi]

Great pictures! Never knew what Harrisburg looked like, but now I know.