This building, one of only two to survive on the west side of Front Street and ensconced within the idyllic setting of Riverfront Park, was erected between 1901 and 1903 by William Reynolds Fleming as a single family home which he named "Overlook." Fleming was one of the founders of the internationally known and Harrisburg area-headquartered engineering firm of Gannett Fleming, Inc. Designed in the half-timbered, English Tudor style, the house was willed to the Civic Club of Harrisburg upon the death of Fleming's widow, Virginia, in 1914. In 1916, the club erected a grand ballroom, also of the English Tudor style, over the home's first floor porch to accommodate club activities. the home was substantial and prominent, unlike the older Hardscrabble neighborhood on the west side of Front Street above Forest Street that was demolished to make way for northward expansion of Riverfront Park. The Civic Club, due to its architectural and institutional stature and adjacency to the still-functioning Old Waterworks at that time, remained untouched. The ballroom, the site of many receptions, musical recitals and events, coupled with the home's authentic first floor interior and outdoor gardens, make the Civic Club a truly unique and enriching riverfront experience.
Top Photo
1905 postcard view of the Fleming House shortly after construction. Note the existence of stone retaining walls prior to the improvements to Riverfront Park.
Bottom Photo
1910 postcard view of the Fleming House prior to its transfer to, and renovations made by, the Civic Club of Harrisburg.
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