Harrisburg 2010 History Center
Open Wednesday thru Sunday, Noon to 5:00 PM --- Free Admission
Dauphin Deposit Trust Building
The Harrisburg 2010 History Center is a temporary local museum with four exhibits designed to educate the public on the history of Dauphin County and Harrisburg, to showcase Harrisburg's upcoming SusqueCentennial, and to kick off local activities in celebration of Civil War 150. The History Center is open from April through December of 2010 and is located in the grand interior of the original and former Dauphin Deposit Bank Building at 213 Market Street. Built in the Greek Revival "Temple" style in 1839, the building was in existence in 1860, the SusqueCentennial anniversary year and saw continuous commercial use until it was closed to the public over twenty years ago.
Dauphin Deposit Trust Interior, c1927
The Center is the public presence of the Harrisburg150 Celebration, and the Dauphin County Historical Society and City Archives Collections. A "permanent" exhibit covering the history of Harrisburg and the surrounding area, from Native American occupation through the present time will be in place on the perimeter of the gallery throughout the period the museum is open. Four rotating exhibits of varying duration will be located in the central area of the gallery.
The first rotating exhibit will focus on the early years of the County and Borough of Harrisburg, leading up to Harrisburg's incorporation as a city in 1860. The exhibit will open on April 17th and will set the stage for the two SusqueCentennial exhibits to follow.
The second rotating exhibit will feature the stories and artifact collections of a number of the Harrisburg150 Living Legacy Project participants. The Living Legacy Project is the cornerstone of the 2010 SusqueCentennial celebration and the exhibit will open in conjunction with Harrisburg150 Founder's Day weekend and the events formally recognizing the 150 Living Legacies, to be held on June 19th and 20th, 2010. The Living Legacy exhibit will be in place from June 19th through July 17th.
The third rotating exhibit will be a point-in-time view of Harrisburg in 1860, and the years immediately following. This exhibit will be an expansion of a presentation given at the Harris-Cameron Mansion in January 2010, by Dr. Michael Barton, of the Penn State Harrisburg American Studies Program, and will be open from July 31st through October 2nd.
The final exhibit will be in place from October 16h through December 11th. It will feature the Civil War muster rolls of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) from Pennsylvania and related items. This exhibit will coincide with a series of events that will celebrate and build on the historic and unique USCT Grand Review, held in Harrisburg in November 1865.
The 2010 Center is open from noon to 5:00 PM, Wednesday thru Sunday. School and youth groups have an additional opportunity to schedule a visit in the mornings or on Mondays or Tuesdays. Admission to the Center is free of charge; however, donations are accepted.