DAUPHIN COUNTY
County Offices
2 South 2nd Street
Harrisburg 717-780-6300
www.dauphincounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
3211 North Front Street
Harrisburg 717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
One of the oldest and most influential of our nation’s counties, Dauphin lies approximately 100 miles west of Philadelphia and 200 miles east of Pittsburgh. As canal routes and Native American trails have given way to the vast network of highways and jet travel, this region has produced leaders in religion, government, education, the arts, science, professions, industry, and agriculture. The upper portion of the county still offers a quiet country atmosphere in small towns that are cradled in rolling mountain valleys. In contrast, the lower quadrant represents the urban core of the Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, which ranks third in the state for population density.
Home to Pennsylvania’s capital city of Harrisburg with its celebrated State Capitol building, Dauphin County enjoys a strategic location and rich history. This convergence point within the Boston-to-Richmond Northeast Corridor was a natural location for the Pennsylvania state capital city and a critical hub of East Coast transportation systems. Well-positioned to offer cost-effective access to the nation’s Eastern markets while it maintains a superior quality of life, Dauphin County is known as a choice location for business and industry.
Services
Dauphin County residents enjoy an exceptional public education system with comprehensive programs for all children, including the gifted and talented as well as those with special needs. Private schools dot the region, providing a wide variety of educational environments in independent and religiously affiliated schools on all levels. Career institutes and vocational schools, community college campuses, and leading universities like Penn State Harrisburg offer a virtually endless array of options for higher education close to home. The developing Harrisburg Polytechnic Institute is a premier resource that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in addition to certificates and training in a wide variety of scientific fields. Penn State College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center bring together physicians and researchers from across the globe to share in the commitment to leading-edge education and scientific discovery.
Newcomers to this region can look forward to some of the most progressive and comprehensive healthcare facilities and services in the state. Medical centers, hospitals, clinics, emergency care centers, surgical centers, and skilled professionals in private practice enjoy the advanced technology of state-of-the-art settings. Aeromedical services are available to transport patients to renowned institutions like Hershey Medical Center or York Hospital if a critical situation should arise. Nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centers are available to meet every need.
Lifestyle
Dauphin County provides an unrivaled quality of life for more than one million residents, offering excellent employment opportunities close to home, cultural attractions, outdoor recreation, urban excitement, and friendly hometown settings. World-class symphony, opera, dance, jazz, community and professional theater, a Shakespeare troupe, and children’s theater combine with wonderful museums and fine galleries. Major performing arts centers and elegant collegiate venues host stellar entertainment, from live performances to lectures by world-renowned figures. During the warmer months, amphitheaters and parks feature free concerts in the bright sunshine or under the evening stars.
Sports enthusiasts can enjoy professional sports teams, watch future major-league stars develop their talents with the Harrisburg Senators, or take advantage of city and country recreational sites and facilities. Residents enjoy every imaginable outdoor activity set against some of Pennsylvania’s most breathtaking scenic backdrops. Riverboat cruises, carriage rides, competitive sports events, antique and auto shows, hiking and biking trails, wonderful zoos and nature centers, and intriguing caverns are just a few of the possibilities for leisure hours.
From the world-renowned HersheyPark to some of the finest golf courses and fishing spots in the nation, Dauphin County excels in quality of life. This sprawling region encompasses beautiful neighborhoods shaded beneath a canopy of trees, regional shopping malls, convenient services, quaint retail districts, dining from formal to casual, and a wide variety of communities that cater to every lifestyle. Throughout Dauphin County, newcomers will discover unique settings that strike the ideal balance between urban sophistication and small-town charm.
Derry, Hershey
Municipal Offices
717-533-2057
www.derrytownship.org
www.hersheypa.com
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Known throughout the world for its famous Hershey chocolate products, the community of Hershey is nestled in beautiful Derry Township. Serving as a gracious host to more than four million visitors each year, this delightful area combines small-town charm with unique attractions like “Hershey Kiss” street lamps, the aroma of fresh chocolate, and family-oriented attractions including a major theme park. The surrounding Derry Township offers an excellent public school system, state-of-the-art library, and the highly acclaimed Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Recreational facilities and services are exceptionally well developed throughout the township, including swimming pools, lush parks, and a 10-mile trail for walking and biking. Access to major interstates ensures a quick trip to regional destinations. Hershey Gardens, the Hershey Museum, and Hershey Theatre are just a few of the attractions that reflect the vision of founder Milton S. Hershey. His plan for a public park is now HersheyPark, and the Cocoa Avenue Plaza serves as the Hershey Recreation Center. Local residents embellished the array of resources by building the Cocoa Castle playground just outside the center.
Harrisburg
Municipal Offices
717-255-3040
http://harrisburgpa.gov
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Serving as the Pennsylvania State Capital since 1810, Harrisburg is the leading city for a metropolitan region that claims more than 600,000 residents. The city also serves as the focal point of business, industry, commerce, government, recreation, and culture in Central Pennsylvania. The city is experiencing a sweeping renaissance that has been nationally recognized. The result is a revitalized urban center that boasts more businesses and jobs, higher property values, and more dependable city services than at any time in its history. Fine golf courses, lush parks, diverse recreational programs, wonderful museums and galleries, first-rate cultural attractions, and family-oriented adventures are all available in the Harrisburg area. Throughout the city, the colonial treasures of the 1700s are nestled between modern architectural wonders. This hub of state government is alive with historic and educational structures from the State Capitol to the State Museum or the Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts. Boasting outstanding shopping, professional sports, regional zoos and amusement parks, and the natural beauty of the mile-wide Susquehanna River against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Harrisburg harmonizes urban amenities with small-town friendliness.
Lower Paxton
Municipal Offices
717-657-5600
http://lowerpaxton-pa.gov
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Claiming a population that closely rivals that of Harrisburg, Lower Paxton Township is rapidly approaching a population of 50,000. The township represents a desirable location for community and economic development in the capital city region and stands as a leader among the area’s local governments. Park and recreational programs and facilities include the Friendship Community Center and more than 200 acres of parkland. Residents can choose from 300 recreation programs, planned trips, and special events year. Facilities include sports fields and courts, picnic pavilions, nature trails, and playgrounds. Just four miles from home are the cultural and educational resources of Harrisburg. Within the township, residential communities cover a varied terrain of gently sloping land accented by stream valleys and mountain ridges. The atmosphere is “Pennsylvania countryside” with diverse period housing, grand old churches, vibrant commercial areas, large trees, and beautiful new construction.
Lower Swatara, West Hanover, Susquehanna
Municipal Halls
Lower Swatara Township
717-939-9377
www.lowerswatara.org
Susquehanna Township
717-545-4751
www.susquehannatwp.com
West Hanover
717-652-4841
www.westhanover.com
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Residents of the townships that lie in close proximity to Harrisburg enjoy an enviable quality of life. Parks and recreation organizations provide lush green spaces and recreational facilities throughout the townships, including a medley of innovative programs and leisure activities that appeal to a cross-section of age groups. West Hanover’s character gradually transformed over the years from a farming community to a slowly expanding suburban haven. Natural areas define the township, with topographic elements to the north that curb development with rural land and alpine forests. Similarly, the northern section of Lower Swatara Township remains a picturesque agricultural area. Throughout the townships, handsome new developments and businesses are displacing yesterday’s farmland. Planning and zoning regulations are in place to protect the aesthetic appeal of the region while accommodating growth and expansion. Easy access to major thoroughfares and Harrisburg International Airport is a driving factor in the development of all three townships.
Middletown
Municipal Offices
717-902-0706
www.middletownborough.com
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Characterized as a residential community and claiming a rich history that dates back to 1755, Middletown Borough is the oldest town in Dauphin County. The community was laid out a full three decades before Harrisburg and was known as a “Post Town” for its location between Lancaster and Carlisle along the old stage-coach road. Today, Middletown provides residents with lovely tree-lined neighborhoods and outstanding recreational amenities. Lush parks, a municipal swimming pool, and a boat launch into the Swatara Creek at the mouth of the Susquehanna River ensure a wide variety of leisure activities that include fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The Main Street Gym adds a basketball court that enables the community to host regional athletic events and tournaments. Among the many historic sites, several of which are included on the national register, is the well-known Alfred’s Victorian Restaurant.
Millersburg, Upper Paxton
Municipal Offices
Millersburg Borough
717-692-2389
www.millersburgpa.org
Upper Paxton Township
717-692-4655
www.upperpaxtontwp.org
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Historic Millersburg Borough sprang from the enterprising attitude of the Daniel Miller, who not only bought land in this scenic area but later taught the local children without compensation in his former cabin. Miller had the foresight to layout the town in lots, reserving land for churches, the town square, and a riverside park. Modern Millersburg is a thriving but small community of less than 4,000 residents who enjoy a prime location midway between Harrisburg and Sunbury. Support for the arts is strong, and the community is home to The Gallery, the headquarters for the Millersburg Art Association. Surrounded by impressive natural beauty, the borough has attracted some of the state’s finest artistic talent. The Millersburg Museum serves as home to the Historical Society of Millersburg & Upper Paxton Township. Popular outdoor activities in this area include hunting and fishing, although wonderful parks provide a variety of recreational facilities close to home that include picnic areas with views of the Susquehanna River and the ferry boat operations.
Steelton
Municipal Offices
717-939-9842
www.steeltonpa.com
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
Nestled along the Susquehanna River just beyond the city limits of the capital city of Harrisburg, Steelton Borough is characterized as a culturally diverse community. Honoring many of the ethnic traditions of yesterday, the borough is known as “the little town with the big heart.” Bounded on the east and north by Swatara Township and on the south by Highspire Borough, Steelton is also 30 miles from the peaceful Amish country of Lancaster County. In spite of its close proximity to Harrisburg, Steelton was one of the later communities to develop. In fact, it was not until the later decades of the 19th century that the borough emerged as a regional transportation network and began to attract the attention of developers. Today, the community offers a warm and friendly family-oriented lifestyle with colorful festivals and celebrations that draw together friends and neighbors. The borough claims the location of one of the nation’s first manufacturing plants designed expressly for the production of steel.
Swatara
Municipal Offices
717-564-2551
www.swataratwp.com
Chamber of Commerce
717-232-4099
www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
The expansive area of Swatara Township is home to a number of small historic settlements that are represented today by Oberlin, Bressler, and Enhaut. Eventually, wheat and cornfields gave way to the development of other residential villages like Lawnton, Lenker Manor, Rutherford, and Chambers Hill. In addition to growing communities and beautiful new suburban subdivisions, the county offers open space and prime land for country manors with generous acreage. More than 1,000 thriving businesses have sprung up in this area or relocated to the township, creating a strong and diversified economic base and providing convenient services and shops. Nearly a dozen parks dot the township, ensuring opportunities for relaxation and exercise around the four seasons.
