Mansion at Reservoir Park

Mansion at Reservoir Park. . Perched prominently on Reservoir Park's western slope is the picturesque Mansion at Reservoir Park, a fitting completion to the natural and cultivated beauty of this stunning hilltop retreat and vantage point for views and vistas of the Harrisburg metropolitan area. Designed by the Harrisburg architectural firm of Foose and Lloyd in the popular Shingle Queen Anne architectural style and completed in 1897, the house furthered the development of the Park, which was established shortly after the first reservoir was built here in 1874. The building's first floor was always intended for the public's use as a community facility. A portion of the second floor was originally devoted to meeting rooms for the Reservoir Park Commission and the City's Water Commission with the remainder of the second floor reserved as the residential quarters for the Park superintendent and family. For years, the Park was managed by V. Grant Forrer who, as the last superintendent, resided here until the late 1920's after which the building was totally designated for community use. In the mid 1990's, the house was thoroughly restored under the Mayor's Parks Improvement Program for use as the Reservoir Park Office and that of the Harrisburg Park Partnership. Much of the original woodwork and architectural detailing has been preserved, providing an attractive setting for art gallery spaces included on both the first and second floors. Formal gardens and broad verandas, in consort with the maintenance of the building's historic features, preserve and enhance the turn-of-the-century flavor and appearance of this marvelous, hillside destination.