105 North Front Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Etzweiler and Associates's main office is located at the Historic Calder/Olmsted/McCormic Mansion on 105 North Front Street. Being fans of history ourselves, we would like to share the history of the building get to work out of every day.
Prior to 1850: - The site that is now 105 N. Front street was a tannery business operated by Jacob Greenawalt. Mr. Greenawalt's daughter married William E. Calder who operated a very successful stagecoach line, working his way up the family business starting at age 12 as a paymaster and eventually assuming management at age 30. It is William Calder whom Calder Street in Harrisburg is named.
1856: William E. Calder purchased the tannery and leather business along with the property and erected a three-story mansion in the Second Empire style with a mansard roof. Research has found that "Neighbors claim the house at 105 North Front Street in Harrisburg was involved in the underground railroad."
1901: The Calder Estate sold the property to eight (8) term U.S. Congressman Marlin E. Olmsted. Congressman Olmsted converted the house to a palatial Italian Renaissance styled mansion which made it one of the finest houses on Front Street. The property was remodeled to include four (4) floors and a basement with approximately 16,000 square feet. The 4th floor had originally been a ballroom. The property had ten (10) built in fireplaces which were used for heating the building. Cooking facilities were located in the basement with dumb-waiters used to transport food to the first floor dining room.
1924: The widow of Mr. Olmsted married Vance L. McCormick who was the mayor for the City of Harrisburg and was the National Campaign Chairman for Woodrow Wilson's presidential campaign in 1916.
1955: After the passing of Mr. and Mrs. McCormick the property was sold to Milford E. Patterson, an architect, and Lee E. Boyer, a CPA, who converted the large residence into an office building. Mr. Patterson and Mr. Boyer expanded the property adding a single story with a partial basement, which is currently know as 107 North Front Street.
1983: The building was then sold to the Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority and leased to Front Street Office Associates, with one of the owners of Front Street Office Associates being employed by a tenant in the building under the name of W.H. Newbold's Sons & Co. At this time the building was restored to its former ambiance of a Victorian home under the supervision of Ron Shepler.
1991: Earl R. Etzweiler and his wife Barbara purchased the building, with the first floor being utilized for his law practice as it is today. Mr. Etzweiler had the fourth floor remodeled with three large skylights installed and refurbished the stained-glass window in the main staircase. The outside of 107 North Front Street was redesigned by a registered architect from Millersburg, PA in order to compliment the style of the original building at 105 North Front Street.
2014: In 2014 the sidewalk between the building and North Front Street was torn up to install a new gas pipe. At that time a large underground room was discovered under the sidewalk and North Front Street with a tunnel passing from the corner of the building to the Susquehanna River. According to some historical notes, it is believed that this room and tunnel were part of the Underground Railroad.