Harrisburg was accessible due to shipping along the Susquehanna River, and a prominent person - Harris - donated 4 acres of land to be used as the Capital back in the early 1800s. Its capital is Harrisburg. The moment I heard about the rich historical stories & the description about the gorgeous Capitol Building of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg immediately entered.. This John Harris died in December, 1740. All State Capitals. Harrisburg has been the capital of Pennsylvania since 1812. None of the biggest American cities are the capitals of their states. Because of its location, Harrisburg played a large part in the early development of the Pennsylvania canal […] Harrisburg became the capital of Pennsylvania in 1812; maybe that had something to do with the war of 1812, I don't know. Sitting along the Susquehanna River in southeast Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Capitol A National Historic Landmark Pennsylvania's Capitol is, first and foremost, a public building belonging to the citizens of the Commonwealth. This location played an important part in its selection as the capital of Pennsylvania in 1812. Why is Sacramento the capital of California and not LA? Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War, was the capital of the second largest state in the Union. Why is Albany the capital of New York and not NYC? Geography | Population. At that time, most people living in the State would be able to reach Harrisburg within the allotted 2 days travel. Located at the intersection of important railroads, Harrisburg was an important supply and logistics center for the dissemination and transportation of materiel for Northern armies. Its western boundary is formed by the Susquehanna River. Why is Springfield the capital of Illinois and not Chicago? Harrisburg was an ancient Native American crossroads, but the town was first laid out by John Harris, Jr. and William Maclay (later a US Senator) in 1785. Harrisburg population / area in square miles / sections or neighborhoods of the city. His second son, also John Harris, is considered to be the actual founder of Harrisburg. Harrisburg has been an important transportation center since the days of riverboat traffic. The date is not settled, but was probably around 1715 to 1718. Pennsylvania, constituent state of the U.S., one of the original 13 American colonies. The site was settled by John Harris, at a point where the Susquehanna River was easily ferried. HARRISBURG, Pa. — State and local law enforcement have been making plans to protect the Pennsylvania Capitol after the FBI warned of possible armed protests at … It is bounded to the north by Lake Erie and New York; to the east by New York and New Jersey; to the south by Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia, and to the west by West Virginia and Ohio. In many states, the capital city is chosen to be somewhere in the middle of the state. It's believed that native Americans inhabited the Harrisburg area as early as 3000 BC. It is also a priceless architectural and artistic treasure, a majestic symbol of history and power, and an icon of democracy and freedom. Also, the functions of state government may be more easily performed if the capital city doesn't have too much else going on! 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