Best Web Design in Harrisburg, PA (2026)

Web Design for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, seated on the east bank of the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County. It grew from an 18th-century river ferry crossing into the seat of state government, and its 1906 State Capitol is regarded as one of the most beautiful public buildings in the country. Today it anchors a metro economy built on government, healthcare, logistics, and the surrounding farm country.

AppWT works with Harrisburg, PA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Harrisburg

Also known as. The Burg. Harris's Ferry (original settlement name). Louisbourg (briefly renamed 1785-1791).

History. John Harris Sr. settled at an easy Susquehanna River crossing around 1715-1718, running a trading post and ferry known as Harris's Ferry. His son John Harris Jr. laid out and named the town Harrisburg in 1785; it was briefly renamed Louisbourg (honoring the French monarch) in 1785 before reverting to Harrisburg in 1791. Harrisburg succeeded Philadelphia as Pennsylvania's state capital in 1812, chosen largely for its central location on the river; it was incorporated as a city in 1860. On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Londonderry Township, just south of Harrisburg along the Susquehanna, suffered a partial meltdown, the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history.

Local economy. State government is the anchor employer, as Harrisburg is Pennsylvania's capital and seat of the legislature and courts. Major sectors include trade, transportation and logistics, education, and healthcare. Prominent regional employers include Capital Blue Cross and Hershey Foods (headquartered in nearby Hershey), plus large hospital systems. The city evolved from an early U.S. industrial and rail center; recent decades brought reinvestment and revitalization after mid-20th-century decline.

Culture and community. Kipona is an annual Labor Day weekend festival celebrating the Susquehanna River, held at Riverfront Park and City Island; its name means 'on sparkling water' in a local Native American tongue, and the event dates to 1916. The Pennsylvania Farm Show, held each January at the Farm Show Complex, is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the United States, is free to the public, and draws over half a million visitors. The Broad Street Market in Midtown, opened in 1863, is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the country. The Harrisburg Senators minor league baseball team plays at FNB Field on City Island; downtown's Restaurant Row along North Second Street is a nightlife and dining hub.

What makes Harrisburg distinct. Harrisburg historically had more parks per square mile than any other city in America, with roughly 1,100 acres devoted to parks. The city was briefly renamed Louisbourg (after the French king) in 1785 before the name was changed back to Harrisburg in 1791. Former mayor Stephen Reed developed an 'almost pathological preoccupation' with Wild West artifacts, spending about $8.3 million in public money on some 10,000 items for a never-built museum; he later pleaded guilty to 20 counts of receiving stolen property. Reed-era debt, chiefly a failed trash incinerator project, pushed Harrisburg into a financial crisis that nearly bankrupted the city.

Harrisburg Landmarks and Local Life

• Pennsylvania State Capitol (completed 1906) - a National Historic Landmark whose dome was inspired by Michelangelo's design for St. Peter's Basilica
• The National Civil War Museum at Reservoir Park - a Smithsonian affiliate holding one of the largest Civil War artifact collections in the country
• City Island - a river island connected downtown by a pedestrian bridge, home to FNB Field and mini golf
• The Zembo Shrine - a notable example of Moorish Revival architecture
• Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts - featuring an IMAX theater, and the riverfront parks along the Susquehanna