Our History
A Corner with a Story
Chapter IThe Neighborhood
Midtown Grows Up the River
As Harrisburg grew in the late 1800s, it spread north along the Susquehanna. The Broad Street Market, established in 1860, drew shoppers from across the city, and in the 1890s builder Benjamin Engle filled the blocks between Second and Third Streets, from Reily to Kelker, with Queen Anne homes, the area still called Engleton. The neighborhood became known as Midtown after the Second World War, as state government expanded north from the Capitol.
For decades, the stone building at Second and Calder was home to the Neumyer Funeral Home. Henry S. Fisher founded the business in 1936 just across the street and moved it to this corner early on; it was passed down through the family and renamed over the years. The floors above held apartments. Now the whole building is becoming homes, thirteen in all, under a new name: The Keystone.
Chapter IITimeline
Three Centuries on the Susquehanna
- 1719
Harris's Ferry
English trader John Harris Sr. settles on the east bank of the Susquehanna and is later licensed to operate a ferry, the beginning of the settlement that will become Harrisburg.
- 1785
A Town Is Laid Out
His son, John Harris Jr., has the town laid out along the river.
- 1812
Capital of Pennsylvania
The state government moves to Harrisburg, and the river town begins its life as a capital city.
- 1860
City & Market
Harrisburg is chartered as a city, and the Broad Street Market is established. It's still operating today, a short walk from the front door.
- 1890s
Engleton
Builder Benjamin Engle raises Queen Anne homes between Second and Third Streets, from Reily to Kelker, the part of Midtown now called Engleton.
- 1906
The Capitol Dome
Joseph Miller Huston's Beaux-Arts State Capitol is dedicated, an easy walk down Second Street.
- 1936
A Neighborhood Institution
Henry S. Fisher founds a funeral home across the street and soon moves it to this corner. As the Neumyer Funeral Home, it serves Harrisburg families for decades.
- 1980s–Today
Midtown Revival
Revitalization begins in the 1980s and continues today, bringing bookshops, galleries and restaurants, from the Midtown Scholar to the Millworks.
- 2015
Art on Third
The Susquehanna Art Museum opens its permanent home in a 1916 bank building, a few minutes' walk away.
- 2025
A New Chapter
The Breneman Group proposes converting the former funeral-home floor into eight apartments, and Harrisburg's Planning Commission recommends approval.
- Today
The Keystone
The renovated second-floor home is now leased, with the third floor and more homes to follow.
Chapter IIIPreservation
Restored, Not Replaced
Instead of tearing down and starting over, we're giving a longtime Midtown building a second life as housing. The stone face on the corner stays, and the neighborhood gains new neighbors and more life on the sidewalk.
The Residences
The River Still Runs By
The same Susquehanna that drew John Harris here flows one block west of your front door.
Explore the Neighborhood