Saturday, November 19th from 10AM – Noon, join Historic Harrisburg Association for a FREE walking tour of Old Uptown and the Mansions of Cottage Ridge! (Reservations Required)
As the City of Harrisburg grew northward during the latter part of the 19th Century, N. Front Street had not yet attained its distinction as a prime residential boulevard. The riverbank, which was littered with sewage and debris, and adjacent low lying swampy land, made any attempt at building a substantial residence there undesirable.
Alternatively, a view of the Susquehanna River and mountains beyond beckoned the establishment of a fashionable neighborhood at the northern end of the city that could enjoy these amenities from a higher terrain. Thus, emerged in the 2000 and 2100 Blocks of N. Third Street, starting in the late 1880’s, a collection of Queen Anne-styled homes known as Cottage Ridge. Here, Harrisburg business leaders would establish their residences before N. Front Street and the riverfront were improved and developed after the establishment of the City Beautiful Movement at the beginning of the 20th century.
Join the Historic Harrisburg Association on a walking tour of these fascinating early mansions belonging to the likes of Harrisburg Mayor Maurice Eby, banker and wholesale paper merchant William Mayne Donaldson, Harrisburg Pipe and Pipe Bending Company co-founder David E. Tracy and Herman and William Miller, who would later found Miller Brothers & Baker Realtors, the developer of Harrisburg’s Bellevue Park.
While several of the original homes have been lost to new development over the years, Cottage Ridge still retains character and stands as an important chapter in Harrisburg’s Olde Uptown residential development.
We begin our tour at the Historic Donaldson Mansion, 2005 N. Third Street, Harrisburg.
This tour is FREE, but reservations are preferred as we have limited spots available. Please click here to register for the event.
Contact HHA for more information: info@historicharrisburg.org or 717.233.4646