Who is harrisburg named after

Having it serve as the seat of both the state and federal government seemed confusing and crowded. Lancaster was ultimately chosen over Harrisburg as state capital due to its larger population, but that only lasted just over a decade. At the end of the day, it was geographic factors that led to Harrisburg becoming capital of Pennsylvania.

I n the minds of politicians and policymakers, it made sense for the capital to be located as close to the center of the state as possible, allowing the easiest access from all areas. There were no planes or cars in those days, so transportation to and from a capital always needed to be a consideration. Philadelphia may be the largest population center in the state, but it is located in the far southeastern corner, roughly miles from Erie, PA, up in the northwestern corner.

It would take close to two weeks to make the journey in the era of the horse-drawn carriage. Harrisburg, on the other hand, is a full miles west of Philadelphia toward the center of the state, and its location directly on the Susquehanna River made it easily accessible by ship. This meant most were able to reach it in a day or two if necessary. Despite thirty years of mismanagement and corruption under Mayor Stephen Reed , which led to the city filing for bankruptcy in , Forbes named Harrisburg the 2 nd best place in America to raise a family in Because, while the city itself struggles with debt to this day, its high concentration of state and federal government offices has made it somewhat recession-proof from an employment perspective.

Think you know a thing or two about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? Test your skills in the quiz below! Last Updated On: May 16, Throughout history, there have been numerous cases of countries falling apart. In fact, it probably occurs far more frequently than most people realize. Harrisburg has been the capital of Pennsylvania since The site was settled by John Harris, at a point where the Susquehanna River was easily ferried.

The date is not settled, but was probably around to This John Harris died in December, His second son, also John Harris, is considered to be the actual founder of Harrisburg. It is located near the center of the state making it more easily accessible to all parts of the state. Keep in mind that traveling long distances in the 18th and 19th centuries was not as easy or simple as it is today. There were no cars or airplanes back then, so distance and transportation was an extremely important factor at the time.

Philadelphia has had the largest population in the state but it is located on the southeastern corner of a relatively large state of Pennsylvania. Another contender for the capitol was Erie, PA, which was also not in a central location. Another geographical advantage of Harrisburg was its location close to the Susquehanna River making it accessible by water.

The city of Harrisburg has had a turbulent history in the 21st century including a filing for bankruptcy in