Back To All History & Heritage
Back
Share:

Midtown Harrisburg Historic District

Share:
Details

The Midtown Harrisburg Historic District is bounded on the north and south by Verbeke and Forster Streets and on the east and west by Front and Third Streets. It is an historic neighborhood that represents the first urbanized neighborhood in Harrisburg. Originally comprised of farmland held by the city’s most prosperous families, the area began to transform following the Civil War, when Harrisburg began to grow and industrialize. Most buildings in the area were built between 1860 and 1910, with the majority dating to around 1875. Several prominent architectural styles can be observed in the neighborhood’s construction including Federal, Italianate, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and Eastlake. The area of Second Street within the district became the most prestigious of the neighborhood and is lined with townhomes originally constructed for mid-to-upper income professional and merchant families. The area of Front Street was the last to be developed. Originally a small neighborhood known as “Hardscrabble”, it was comprised of lower income and working class frame homes and boat liveries. Hardscrabble was razed at the turn of the century in order to expand Riverfront Park, which complements the neighborhood.