The city's central location was the reason it was designated the state capital in 1812, replacing Philadelphia. It was founded as Harris Ferry, a trading and ferry outpost that served pioneers heading toward western Pennsylvania and Ohio. The city's heritage as a transportation center is evident in the picturesque railroad and highway bridges over the Susquehanna River that link Harrisburg with the bedroom communities on the other shore, and the numerous major highways that intersect in the capital. The green-tiled rotunda is modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and the majestic marble staircase just inside the main entrance was inspired by the Grand Opera in Paris. The General Assembly meets throughout the year, though it is generally in recess from July through late September.
All sessions are open to the public.
Free tours are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Next door is the State Museum of Pennsylvania, which features art exhibits, historical artifacts and a planetarium. The John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion at 219 S. Front St. once belonged to Harris, who then sold it to former U.S. senator and Secretary of War Simon Cameron. Sports fans can see the Harrisburg Senators, a farm team for the Montreal Expos. The Senators play at Riverside Stadium on City Island, which sits in the middle of the river and features an array of family recreational activities in the spring, summer and fall.