Harrisburg Harrisburg ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat, seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50, ...

's Market Square is located in Downtown Harrisburg at the intersection of 2nd and Market Streets. The

square In geometry, a square is a regular polygon, regular quadrilateral. It has four straight sides of equal length and four equal angles. Squares are special cases of rectangles, which have four equal angles, and of rhombuses, which have four equal si ...

was created in 1785. Since then, it has traditionally been the navigational center of the city, and experienced a post-1980s revival, with the creation of several new commercial, residential and retail spaces. Market Square serves as a hub for Capital Area Transit (CAT) buses. It is located one block from Riverfront Park and the Market Street Bridge, which crosses over the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...

History

John Harris, Jr. the founder of Harrisburg had his son-in-law, William Maclay, draw up a plan for the town in 1785. It allowed for 207 quarter-acre building lots aligned along streets set to a standard width of .Market Square, Harrisburg, PA
George F. Nagle and Afrolumens Project, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-28. Market Street, envisioned as the grand avenue of the new town, was planned at eighty feet wide. Where it intersected with Second Street, Maclay planned in ample setbacks to allow for a “Market Square,” which has remained a prominent feature of Harrisburg to this present day. At this time, two market "sheds" laid in the center of Market Square for residents to buy food. Though Wednesdays and Saturdays were the two main market days, the market was open daily for other perishables. As it was normal to come centrally to the market for food, it also grew to become the natural site for civic events. President

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

spoke to a crowd here regarding the

Whiskey Rebellion The Whiskey Rebellion (also known as the Whiskey Insurrection) was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax impo ...

on October 4, 1794. On February 22, 1861

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

addressed a crowd from his hotel in Market Square. Thousands gathered to hear

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

campaign for President at Market Square on October 24, 1960. Revolutionary War hero the

Marquis De Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

Daniel Webster Daniel Webster (January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the U.S. Congress and served as the 14th and 19th United States Secretary of State, U.S. secretary o ...

and General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

also have spoken at Market Square. Since the 1980s, open

concert A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...

s performed by professional artists have taken place at the square, and it is the location for the "drop" at the City's New Years Eve celebration.Market Square Concerts
Retrieved 2011-01-28.

Gallery

File:Market Square Harrisburg 1890.jpg, Market Square looking north, c. 1890 File:Harrisburg Market Square and City Government Center.jpg, Market Square, Penn National Insurance Building (left), Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. City Government Center (right) File:Market Square in Harrisburg.jpg

References

{{Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Squares in the United States Urban public parks Tourist attractions in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

History

Gallery

See also

References