View of Harrisburg, Pa.
Item
Title
View of Harrisburg, Pa.
Creator
Artist unknown
American, 19th century?
After Edwin Whitefield
American, b. England, 1816–1892
Printed and published by Lewis & Brown, New York
American, 19th century?
After Edwin Whitefield
American, b. England, 1816–1892
Printed and published by Lewis & Brown, New York
Date
1846
Materials
Lithograph with hand coloring
Measurements
15-7/8 x 23-7/8 in. (40.4 x 60.7 cm)
Description
Around the time he began work on North American Scenery, Whitefield also initiated a series of larger panoramas featuring major metropolitan areas that he later collected under the title 'Whitefield’s Original Views of North American Cities and Scenery.' This view of Harrisburg from the west depicts two important bridges spanning the Susquehanna River. The first is the famous Camel Back Bridge, a wooden covered bridge constructed by Theodore Burr between 1813 and 1817. The other structure is the Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge, built between 1837 and 1838. During the Civil War, General Lee’s the invasion of the North, which led to the Battle of Gettysburg, was aimed at destroying these two bridges, as well as another railroad bridge across the Susquehanna, five miles further upriver. In the center of the composition is the first State Capitol Building, which was destroyed by fire in February 1897.
Adapted from the entry written by Judith Hansen O’Toole for the 1980 Pennsylvania Prints exhibition catalogue.
Adapted from the entry written by Judith Hansen O’Toole for the 1980 Pennsylvania Prints exhibition catalogue.
Source
Palmer Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania State University, partial gift and purchase from John C. O’Connor and Ralph M. Yeager.
Identifier
86.454
Rights
This image is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. Other uses are not permitted.