Walking Tour of the Old 8th Ward--Photo #3


This view is of Fourth Street , the western boundary of the 8th Ward, taken from Walnut Street. Fourth Street ran along the backside of the State Capitol grounds. The corner store at 400 Walnut was once operated by R. Elsheild, who sold cigars in the early 1870s (See Tobacco). From 1871-1872, Frederick Gastrock operated a bakery nearby, perhaps from the same location (See Bakers). By 1880, the store was once again a tobacco shop, owned by John Tallard. The next building, 101 Fourth, housed tobacco stores on a regular basis, like J. C. Cadow's between 1890 and 1901. In this later photograph, the store is Schutzenbach Brothers, which displays liquor bottles in the window. Photo: Historical Society of Dauphin County

This view is of Fourth Street , the western boundary of the 8th Ward, taken from Walnut Street. Fourth Street ran along the backside of the State Capitol grounds.

The corner store at 400 Walnut was once operated by R. Elsheild, who sold cigars in the early 1870s (See Tobacco). From 1871-1872, Frederick Gastrock operated a bakery nearby, perhaps from the same location (See Bakers). By 1880, the store was once again a tobacco shop, owned by John Tallard.

The next building, 101 Fourth, housed tobacco stores on a regular basis, like J. C. Cadow's between 1890 and 1901.

In this later photograph, the store is Schutzenbach Brothers, which displays liquor bottles in the window.

Photo: Historical Society of Dauphin County

The Citizen Fire Company

In the photograph shown at left, the Citizen Fire Company House is the tall building with the bell tower near the center. The company organized in 1836 and was chartered in 1841. It was later re-chartered in 1858 and was the third oldest fire company in the Harrisburg area. Although originally located outside the 8th Ward, the engine house was re-located to Fourth Street.

The Citizen Company purchased its first engine in 1838, which was capable of drawing water directly from the canal and did not rely on bucket brigades. Once hydrants were located within Harrisburg after 1838, the Citizen Company was the first to use hoses and a hose carriage.

(Summarized from an article written by J. Howard Wert for the Harrisburg Patriot newspaper on June 16, 1913, and reprinted in Harrisburg's Old Eighth Ward, edited by Michael Barton and Jessica Dorman, (Charleston: Arcadia, 2002), 136-138.)