Fort Hunter Park – Barn, Stable and Tavern

Harrisburg, PA

This project involved the historic restoration and renovation of the Fort Hunter Barn, Tavern and Stables.

Tavern

Built in 1811, the farmhouse had several additions over the years as it was transformed from a stagecoach stop and tavern into apartments and then a private residence. It was finally abandoned in the mid-twentieth century and remained unoccupied for forty years.

Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates worked with the Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department to restore the farmhouse interior and exterior to their mid-nineteenth-century appearance. Elements found within the house were replicated to maintain authenticity. Electric lights and code requirements are the only modern aspects of the building. The building now houses offices for the Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department.

Preservation Award from the Historic Harrisburg Association

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historic Preservation Achievement

Barn

The nineteenth-century barn was transformed into a vibrant public space. The top floor is reserved for the storage of historical vehicles and the ground floor houses public meeting rooms and public toilet facilities for park visitors.

The existing wood beams, joists and columns of the barn remain exposed. Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates worked to waterproof the ground floor and conceal the HVAC system to maintain the beauty of the historic barn.

Stable

Snowstorms  collapsed the roof and pushed over the stone wall of the stable. These elements were restored while the ground floor stables were returned to their original condition and the second floor was converted to climate controlled storage space.