CITY WIDE SIGHTS
Allison Hill and Eastern Harrisburg
8. Mansion At Reservoir Park - 100 Concert Drive.
Erected in 1898 as the home of the Reservoir Park superintendent and his family. American Foursquare in style and thoroughly restored as the Park’s office with art gallery and reception spaces. Fabulous views from broad porch verandas.
9. Mcfarland House and Bellevue Park - 2101 Bellevue Road and Beyond to The East.
Built in 1876 by Jacob Haehnlen as a summer residence in the Italianate style, this house’s surrounding grape vineyard was later subdivided into what became known as Bellevue Park, Pennsylvania’s first fully planned residential community. Originally known as Breeze Hill, the house became the home in 1908 of nationally known horticulturalist, environmentalist and publisher J. Horace McFarland. The ensuing Bellevue Park, laid out in 1910, is characterized by winding lanes, wooded topography, underground utilities and period street lighting. Impressive mansions and open preserves protected by stringent covenants.
10. Mcfarland Press Building - Mulberry and Crescent Streets.
Built in 1906 as the home of the famous Mount Pleasant Press, which specialized in color printing of seed catalogues under the guidance of its founder, noted horticulturalist and City Beautiful pioneer J. Horace McFarland. Converted to apartments and the Danzante Cultural Center through a sensitive restoration process as an anchor property upon entering Allison Hill.
11. National Civil War Museum - Lincoln Circle At Reservoir Park.
Largest museum in the world related to the American Civil War. Perched as a sentinel at the city’s highest point and on ground occupied by a defending Union artillery battery during the Civil War. Highlights Harrisburg’s important role as the largest Union Army training camp, with hospitals, Confederate Prisoner of War encampments and primary supply and distribution centers. The Museum depicts the Civil War in its entirety including the Confederacy and the issue of slavery, as well as the pre- and post-war periods, through a repository of never-before exhibited national artifacts and documents. Surrounding grounds are the site of living history encampments and reenactments.
12. Old Webster Elementary School, Spanish Speaking Center - 301 S. 13th Street.
Erected in 1889 and now one of the oldest school buildings, originally erected as a school, that survives in Harrisburg. Gothic Revival in style, this edifice has long been a focal point in historic Mount Pleasant and presently serves as the community’s Hispanic-American Center.
13. Old Jonestown Road - Between Market and State Streets Just East Of Cameron St.
Original highway linking downtown Harrisburg to Allison Hill and points east. Early road construction evident through traversing instead of cutting through the hill bluff. Rural appearance contrasts with surrounding urban grid street layout.
14. Reservoir Park - 20th and State Streets.
Harrisburg’s largest park and located at the highest point in the city. Contains one underground thirty million gallon reservoir, and two 6 million gallon above ground reservoirs, which gravity-feed freshwater to the city’s water system. Above ground lie the elegantly restored Caretaker’s Mansion, the Arts Village at Reservoir Park and the open-air band shell along with a myriad of walkways, statuary and landscaped gardens. The Park is highlighted at its summit by the magnificent National Civil War Museum. Original portion of the Park dates to 1845.
15. State Arsenal - N. 18th and Herr Streets.
Military Storage house erected in 1874 and rebuilt in 1914. Central tower, though modified, remains from the first structure. Iron fence enclosing grounds was moved from the old State Capitol Building after the Capitol’s destruction by fire in 1897.
16. State Street East Corridor - State Street on Allison Hill.
Grand boulevard accented by period streetlights descending from Allison Hill to the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge and the State Capitol Complex. Striking vista of the Main Capitol Building throughout its course for westbound sightseers.
17. Sylvan Heights Mansion,. YWCA Kunkel Center - 101 Market St.
Perched in acropolis-like fashion on Allison Hill’s western bluff, this edifice was erected in the Greek Revival style as the home of Colonel John Brandt in 1866. Later served as a catholic orphanage and was more recently converted through a magnificent restoration project as the home of Harrisburg’s YWCA and Charter School.
