Picture 85 acres of parkland in the Allison Hill neighborhood — Reservoir Park, the oldest and largest municipal public park in Harrisburg. As you breathe in, imagine the layers of history: the original portion of the park dates to 1845, and in 1872 a reservoir was built in what was then an undeveloped Prospect Hill outside the city limits. City leaders, noting this wonderful vantage point to view the State Capitol, the Susquehanna River valley and the Blue Mountains, officially established the area around the reservoir as a park in 1890.
Today the park still holds those practical and dramatic features: one underground thirty million gallon reservoir and two 6 million gallon above ground reservoirs that gravity-feed freshwater to the city's water system. You can also find the National Civil War Museum here, and the park provides the setting for many of Harrisburg’s outdoor festivals and performances. The grounds are part of the Capital Area Greenbelt, a 20-mile greenway circling portions of the city.
Notice the reservoirs beneath this highest point in the city, the museum nearby, and the wide view toward the State Capitol, the Susquehanna River valley and the Blue Mountains.