The Simon Cameron House, also known as John Harris Mansion and the Harris–Cameron Mansion, is a

historic house museum A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a v ...

at 219 South Front Street in

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 P ...

. Built in 1766 and frequently extended and altered, it is one of Harrisburg's oldest buildings, and is nationally notable as the summer residence of

Simon Cameron Simon Cameron (March 8, 1799June 26, 1889) was an American businessman and politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate and served as United States Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln at the start of the Ameri ...

(1799–1889), an influential Republican Party politician during and after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

. The house and family items were donated to the Historical Society of Dauphin County in 1941, which now operates it as a museum. The mansion was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1975, and is located in the

Harrisburg Historic District The Harrisburg Historic District is a national historic district which is located in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. History and architectural features The district i ...

Description and history

The Simon Cameron House stands south of the central business district of Harrisburg, overlooking 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 ...

from the north side of South Front Street between Washington and Mary Streets. Its main block is a -story stone structure, with a side gable roof. It is built out of mortared limestone, and is fronted by a single-story porch with fluted columns and arched Victorian valances. The main facade is four bays wide, with the main entrance in the center-left bay, topped by a tall transom window. Three gabled dormers pierce the front roof face. A long two-story ell extends the main block to the rear, giving the house an overall off-center T shape. The house was built about 1766 by John Harris Jr., son of one of the first settlers of the region, and for whose father Harrisburg is named. The house remained in the Harris family until 1835. In 1853 it was adapted for use as the Pennsylvania Female College, which was forced into bankruptcy in 1861, due to turmoil caused by the

. It was then purchased by

, who had been on the college's board of directors. Cameron had recently resigned as

United States Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the C ...

, over a scandal involving fraudulent supply contracts. Cameron had entered politics in 1829, and the taint of corruption had followed him through many of his offices. He won election to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

in 1867, which helped consolidate his control over federal patronage money in Pennsylvania. In this role he was successful in purging reform-oriented

Radical Republican The Radical Republicans (later also known as "Stalwarts") were a faction within the Republican Party, originating from the party's founding in 1854, some 6 years before the Civil War, until the Compromise of 1877, which effectively ended Reco ...

elements from the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, and became an influential member of Grant's "kitchen cabinet." Cameron was responsible for transforming the existing house to give its present Victorian character. Cameron's heirs donated the house to the Historical Society of Dauphin County in 1941.

References

External links

Mansion: Information and hours for tours

Alexander Family Research Library and Archives: Visiting information and hours

Historical Society of Dauphin County: John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion

Simon Cameron
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Simon, House National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania Houses completed in 1766 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Museums in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Historic house museums in Pennsylvania Houses in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Description and history

See also

References

External links