Historical Markers in
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

104th Cavalry 22 South 3rd Street 28 East Main Street 30 East Main Street 314 South 2nd Street 333 Market Street A. Carson Stamm Residence Abraham Lincoln Agents of Change Alfred's Victorian Mansion Barnett's Fort Bellevue Park Bishop McDevitt High School Breeze Hill Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House Broad Street Market Burd Tombs B'Nai Jacob Synagogue C. Delores Tucker Camel Back Bridge Camelback and Market Street Bridges Camp Curtin Camp Curtin Camp Curtin Fire Company No. 13 Camp Curtin Memorial-Mitchell United Methodist Church Camp George Gordon Meade Capital Of The Keystone State Preserved! Capitol Park Chocolate Workers' Sit-Down Strike City Island Civil War Soldiers Monument Clark's Ferry Bridge Company Col. James Burd Col. Timothy Green Cottage Ridge Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge Daniel Miller Memorial Fountain Dauphin County Dauphin County Civil War Memorial Dauphin County Courthouse Dauphin Deposit Bank Building Derry Church Derry Church School (1844-1904) Derry Churchyard Derry Session House and Enclosure Dr. William Henderson House Eagle Hotel and Bolton Hotel Eisenhower Ancestral Home Elizabethville Veterans Memorial Engleton Evolution of Harrisburg's Skyline Executive Mansion Executive Mansion Explore the Capital Area Greenbelt Federal Square Former William Penn High School Fort Halifax Fort Hunter Fort Hunter History Fort Manada GAR Building Genevieve Blatt (1913 - 1996) George J. Heisely Residence and the National Anthem Governors’ Row Governor's Residence Governor's Residence Grace Methodist Church Grace United Methodist Church Grand Opera House Greetings to Future Harrisburgers Halifax and Vicinity World War I Memorial Hanover Church Hanover Resolves Harris Switch Tower Harrisburg Harrisburg Harrisburg Harrisburg Cemetery Harrisburg Cemetery Harrisburg Cemetery Harrisburg Giants Harrisburg High School and Former John Harris High School Harrisburg Hospital Harrisburg Public Library Dauphin County Library System Harrisburg State Hospital Harrisburg's Grand Review of Black Troops Harris' Ferry Hershey Hilton Harrisburg and Towers Historic Harrisburg Resource Center Historic Midtown Market District Hope Fire Station Hotels of Hummelstown Hummelstown Hummelstown Brownstone Quarries In Honor of the Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in the Harrisburg Cemetery Italian Lake J. Donald Cameron J. Donald Cameron Mansion James McCormick Mansion John Frederick Hartranft John Harris / Simon Cameron Mansion John Harris Mansion John Harris Sr. Grave Site John Harris, Jr. John Harris, Sr. John Harris, Sr., and the Mulberry Tree John Harris' Gift Keystone Hall Keystone Hotel Kinderhaus Canna Bed Kinderhaus “Climbing Tree” Kunkel Building Leaders, Stewards and Advocates Lest We Forget Lincoln Cemetery Lochiel Hotel and Colonial Theater Mansion at Reservoir Park Market Square Market Square Market Square During The Civil War Market Square Presbyterian Church Market Square Presbyterian Church Maurice K. Goddard Mexican War Monument Middletown Millersburg Ferry Millersburg Ferry: A Journey Through Time Millersburg Hotel Milton Hershey School Milton S. Hershey Milton S. Hershey Mira Lloyd Dock Mira Lloyd Dock Residence Moment of Mercy Mount Pleasant Press - The J. Horace McFarland Company Mulberry Street Bridge Native Nations of the Susquehanna Valley Native Nations of the Susquehanna Valley Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island Old Brick Capitol Old Capitol Building Old Dauphin County Courthouses Old Dauphin County Prison Old Harrisburg Academy / Dixon University Center Old Pennsylvania Railroad Station Old Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Station Old Salem Church Old Salem Church Old Webster Elementary School On The Square Original Capitol Complex Original Location of the Paxton Congregation Parish Church of St. Lawrence (Former) Parson John Elder House Patton's Fort Paxton Church Paxton Church Paxton Presbyterian Church Paxton Riflemen Payne-Shoemaker Building Pennsylvania Canal Pennsylvania Canal Pennsylvania Farm Show Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Pennsylvania Governor's Residence Pennsylvania Slavery Pennsylvania State Archives Pennsylvania State Archives and The State Museum of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex Pennsylvania State Police Pennsylvania's Liberty Bell Replica Pine Street Presbyterian Church Prelude To Gettysburg Present State Capitol Building Presidential Convention Public Sector Unionism Ralph W. Abele Reily Hose Company No. 10 Reservoir Park Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King City Government Center Revolutionary War Gun Factory Revolutionary War Monument Riverfront Park Rockville Bridge Saint Patrick's Cathedral Simon Cameron School Simon Girty (1741–1818) Slavery at Fort Hunter Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge Soldiers Grove Square Project History St. Michael’s Lutheran Church State Arsenal State Capitol Strawberry Square Phase I Strawberry Square Phase II Swenson Plaza Flood Memorial Sylvan Heights Mansion T. Morris Chester Tabernacle Baptist Church Technical High School & Old City Hall The Arch The Calder / Olmsted / McCormick Mansion The Civic Club of Harrisburg The Claster Building The Conestoga wagon The Court House Bell The Crowne Plaza The Developing Years The Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Stephen & Cathedral House The Fountain The Harrisburg Cotton Factory and The Central YMCA The Homestead The Hummelstown Brownstone Company The John Crain Kunkel and Katherine Smoot Kunkel Memorial The Johnston Building & Menaker Building The Jones House The Ladies Of Harrisburg During The Civil War The M.S. Hershey Rose The Marcus Reno Residence and Governors’ Home The Music Pavilion / Gazebo The Obelisk The Old Executive, Library & Museum Building The Old Waterworks The Parish House The Peanut House The Pennsylvania State Capitol The People’s Bridge The Romberger-Stover House The State Museum of Pennsylvania The Vance C. McCormick Public Service Center Then And Now Then And Now Thomas Morris Chester Threatened Invasion of Harrisburg Tracy Mansion Trailblazers U.S. Colored Troops Grand Review Underground Railroad Union Canal Union Canal Union Canal Union Trust Building United States Slavery Veterans Memorial Village of Heckton Visionaries Walnut Place Walnut Street Bridge Walnut Street Bridge War Memorial Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Wildwood Lake Sanctuary Wildwood Park William Howard Day William Maclay William Maclay Mansion William Maclay, Esq. Wilt Chamberlain's Scoring Record Women's World War I Memorial World War II Memorial Zembo Shrine Temple Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Zion Lutheran Church "Sant Peter's Kierch"
Pennsylvania was once home to a giant freshwater mussel called the Pennsylvania pigtoe, which is now considered endangered.
Dauphin County, located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has a rich and diverse history dating back to its establishment in 1785. The land was originally occupied by several Native American tribes, including the Iroquois Confederacy and the Susquehannock Indians. European settlers began arriving in the late 17th century, with Scots-Irish and German immigrants being the predominant groups.

The county's name, Dauphin, was derived from the title "Dauphin of France," which was given to the oldest son of the French king. The name was chosen to honor the French assistance during the American Revolution. In the early years, Dauphin County was primarily an agricultural area, with farming being the main occupation for its residents. The fertile soil and access to the Susquehanna River made it ideal for farming.

The county played a significant role during the American Civil War, with the state capital, Harrisburg, being an important strategic location. Confederate forces attempted to capture Harrisburg multiple times, with the most notable being the invasion of Pennsylvania in 1863, which culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg. The county also became an important transportation hub during the industrial revolution, with the construction of canals and railroads connecting it to major cities.

Over the years, Dauphin County has witnessed significant growth and development. In the 20th century, there was a shift from agriculture to industrial and service-based industries. The construction of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the 1970s brought international attention to the county during the infamous accident in 1979. Today, Dauphin County remains a vibrant and diverse community, with a mix of urban areas, suburbs, and rural farmland, offering residents a high quality of life and a rich historical heritage to explore.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

  • 1785 - Dauphin County was officially established on March 4th.
  • 1790 - Harrisburg became the county seat.
  • 1838 - The Pennsylvania Canal opened, connecting Dauphin County to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
  • 1848 - The Pennsylvania Railroad reached Harrisburg, boosting the county's transportation infrastructure.
  • 1863 - The Battle of Gettysburg took place, impacting Dauphin County and the surrounding areas.
  • 1972 - The Three Mile Island accident occurred, causing a partial meltdown at the nuclear power plant in Dauphin County.
  • 2001 - The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts opened in Harrisburg, offering educational and entertainment opportunities.