The Household The Pennsylvania Governor's Residence is a 30,000 square foot Georgian Style residence created by architect George Ewing and built on the Susquehanna River. The Residence, which was completed in 1968, has housed eight governors and their families. It is located at 1150 W. Jefferson Street in Harrisburg. The mansion is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of its state government. It is not available for public visitation; only members of the governor's staff and their guests are allowed inside. However, the grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to dusk. A small museum on site documents the history of the mansion and its role as home to seven governors. In addition to the mansion, the surrounding property includes large gardens, a swimming pool, and several other buildings used for official and private purposes. The total area of the estate is about 40 acres (160,000 sq ft). Although not officially designated as such, the governor's mansion can be considered the de facto capital of Pennsylvania. Until 1845, when Philadelphia became the official capital, Harrisburg was where all governmental business was done. Even today, many important decisions are made in Harrisburg without being announced in advance. The mansion is also the location where most new governors are inaugurated. They usually travel to either Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., for this purpose.