The Pennsylvania Governor's Residence is the

official residence An official residence is the House, residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, Clergy, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-relate ...

of the

governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, in the Uptown neighborhood of

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

. The neo-Georgian residence was built from 1966 to 1968 and designed by George M. Ewing, heading an architectural firm in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The mansion is currently only used for official functions and meetings, because Governor

Tom Wolf Thomas Westerman Wolf (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 47th governor of Pennsylvania since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he defeated Republican incumbent Tom Corbett in the 2014 guber ...

commutes from his private residence in nearby Mount Wolf. The seven-bay brick front has a wide projecting

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

ed central bay, in which a

Palladian window Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

perches on a pedimented doorway. The mansion is home to two

Steinway Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to the opening of a ...

grand pianos used for concerts and to entertain dinner guests. Every holiday season the house is opened for special tours. The mansion is located adjacent to the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

and flooding has proven to be a significant hazard. Water intrusion in the basement area is a frequent issue and the mansion has been evacuated three times since its construction due to serious inundation. The first and most serious time was during

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

in 1972; then-Governor

Milton Shapp Milton Jerrold Shapp (born Milton Jerrold Shapiro; June 25, 1912 – November 24, 1994) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 40th governor of Pennsylvania from 1971 to 1979 and the first Jewish governor of Pennsylvania. H ...

and his wife Muriel evacuated for the weekend and returned by boat to inspect the flooded damage in a common photograph at the time. The most recent was 2011 during Tropical Storm Lee. In 2021, following years of planning, a $1.9 million renovation began on the courtyard to restore more greenspace, amenities, and accessibility.

References

External links

Governor's Residence website

The Governors Residence
{{US Governor Mansions Houses completed in 1968 Governors' mansions in the United States * Buildings and structures in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Landmarks in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Government buildings in Pennsylvania Houses in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Historic house museums in Pennsylvania Museums in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania