Harrisburg Cemetery
Why it's listed
Harrisburg Cemetery occupies about thirty-five acres of wooded, rolling parkland on the western bluff of Allison Hill, overlooking downtown Harrisburg. It opened in September 1845, when the Harrisburg Cemetery Association, chartered that February by the State General Assembly, bought twelve acres from the Henry Herr farm. The cemetery consolidated burials from smaller church and family grounds in the old borough, and about 1,550 marked graves were moved there from other cemeteries. Its caretaker's house, built in 1845 in brick Gothic Revival form with a cross-shaped plan, still stands near the main entrance. The grounds hold mausoleums, obelisks and elaborate monuments, including a cast iron Gothic spire. The cemetery is also associated with the picturesque landscape ideals of the mid-nineteenth century and is regarded as an early example of that design approach in Pennsylvania.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery is the largest and oldest in Harrisburg's city limits and holds the graves of influential local and state figures. It cites its landscape setting and lanes, its many architecturally significant monuments and mausoleums, and its role as an early romantic, picturesque landscape cemetery in Central Pennsylvania.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85000866, listed March 7, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 13th and Liberty Sts., Harrisburg |
|---|---|
| County | Dauphin County |
| Listed | March 7, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000866 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (caretaker's house) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The caretaker's house is still standing and houses the cemetery's offices; the cemetery's condition is recorded as good. |
| Acreage | 35 |
| Coordinates | 40.27256, -76.86183 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85000866.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5665222
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.