Harrisville was founded in 1826 and incorporated in 1846. A lot has changed in nearly 200 years, and we expect to continue to grow and change for the next 200! Check out our history resources through the links below, or come by the Borough Office to view some choice Harrisville artifacts in person. We welcome any historical items or documents you may wish to share with the community to add to the collection.
History of Harrisville Pennsylvania, by Jeremy Donovan, 1991
This was an Eagle Scout Project and includes detailed interviews of many long-term residents as well as facts about and descriptions of Harrisville since its founding.
Harrisville History 1825-1976
Written by Laurabelle (Mrs. Clyde) Long for the nation’s bicentennial, this document describes the founding of Harrisville and then has sections with details about Religion, Education, Business and Society as of 1976. There are lots of names of people and places that some of our current residents may remember. Jeremy Donovan used this history as a resource in writing his 1991 update.
Recent finds in the Borough’s safe
We had to move the safe recently, and found the oldest volumes of Borough minutes and other documents in the process. Not only are these important documents that we are legally required to keep in perpetuity, they are an important part of the Borough’s history. Some of them are beautiful examples of mid-19th century documents. We will be applying for grant funds to properly preserve these important documents. Meanwhile, enjoy some photos of these treasures.
