Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is a pivotal city in the North Eastern United
States. Humans have gathered here for food and shelter for possibly
thousands of years as evidenced by the Native American
artifacts plentiful in the area.
The roots of today's Harrisburg,
the Capital of Pennsylvania, were planted by William Penn
around 1690. The John Harris (the cities name sake)
legacy to the area started in 1705 and continued with his son
who named the city "Harrisburg" to honor his father.
Harrisburg was chosen as the States Capital in 1810, the same
year it received it's city charter.
Harrisburg has always been a
transportation hub as the Susquehanna river and the Cumberland
gap provided routes for early commerce. With the
growth of the population and the human flow through the city
the hospitality industry also grew. Inns, restaurants,
bars, taverns were and still are essential to the local
economy
Today the Harrisburg Area
is even more of a transportation hub as major highways and
rail service extend North South East and West. The buzz
of state and federal government activities in Harrisburg, the
museums, various cultural venues and events, the Farm Show
Complex and the Hershey entertainment attractions continue
grow the need for relaxation and entertainment or course
quality restaurants.
Unfortunately, like many other
urban centers Harrisburg entered a period of urban
decline starting in the late 1960 through the 1990s.
Stephen R. Reed became mayor and through his vision,
hard work and dedication Harrisburg has redeveloped itself.
Stephen Reed is quick to acknowledge those involved in this
effort, from the residents to the entrepreneurs and investors
who make the City today a great place to live, work and play.
Restaurant Row is one of the
keys of this urban redevelopment and bring life back to the
city. The Fire House Restaurant, is an excellent example
of this renewal.
Donny Brown renovated the
historic Hope Station building, which is home to The Fire
House Restaurant. Hope Station is the oldest standing
firehouse in the city of Harrisburg and is the second oldest
in Pennsylvania.
Inspired by a devastating fire on Christmas Eve 1813, the
Harrisburg Hope Fire Company was founded in 1814. This
building, Hope Station #2, was built in 1871. The station
continued to serve the community until 1980, when new
firehouses were built and the company was relocated.
Most of the architecture is the original design; those areas
in need of repair were restored to their original splendor.
All of the exterior's brick is a significant and rare example
of its period it embodies the features of the Italianate
Revival style, with simple lines, subtle design elements and
an absence of embellishment. Along with the brickwork, all of
the original sashing, window mutins and mullions and doors
were retained in the restoration.
Today, Hope Station continues to serve its friends and
neighbors of Central Pennsylvania in another way - as the home
to The Fire House, purveyor of fine dining and drinks.
We look forward to your visit. |
