Neighborly suburb rooted in an industrial history
Jets taking off from the neighboring Harrisburg International Airport ascend high above Highspire, a small borough outside the state capital with a deep industrial heritage. Located along the Susquehanna River, Highspire and its logging industry flourished in the 1800s as a counterpart to the smoke-congested town of Steelton, a few miles upriver before Harrisburg. As the community grew, Highspire became known for its flour mills and whiskey distilleries before Prohibition barred liquor production in the early 20th century. To this day, a mill factory in town still produces Wheaten and Maltex cereals, wafting the sweet aroma of maple over the businesses and homes lining 2nd Street, which is the borough's main thoroughfare and its direct link to Steelton and Harrisburg. Today, the suburban borough maintains a neighborly community rooted in its industrial history. “Highspire is a small and close community with under 3,000 residents,” says local broker and Realtor Joy Daniels, who has over 30 years of experience in the industry. “They still have their own newspaper, which is mailed as a bi-monthly newsletter with the sewer bills.”
An amalgam of small single-family homes
A mix of established home styles reflecting the architecture of the early 20th century line Highspire’s gridded, grassy streets. Daniels says the homes here are generally older and smaller compared to surrounding areas. The average size for a single-family house is 157,000 square feet. Cape Cod styles and cottages lie between bungalows and Foursquare styles, many with brick exteriors or traditional details and shutters. Worker’s cottages and steeply gabled duplex townhouses from the early 1900s, as well as mobile home communities, are also found here. The median real estate price in Highspire is $173,000, though listing prices range from as low as $20,000 for modular homes to $370,000 for newly built single-family homes with over 2,000 square feet. “Because of the lower housing prices and reasonable taxes, the housing market is very competitive in Highspire,” Daniels says.
School spirit in a combined district
Highspire shares a school district with neighboring Steelton – aptly named Steelton-Highspire School District – which serves 1,377 students. Kids may start their education at Steelton-Highspire Elementary School for kindergarten through sixth grade before advancing to Steelton-Highspire High for seventh through twelfth. Both schools receive a C-minus overall grade from Niche. The neighborhood is also close to the Penn State Harrisburg campus, and Daniels says many college students rent in Highspire due to the borough’s proximity.
Recreation and natural spaces in Highspire
While the high school's Steamrollers football team performs under the stadium lights at War Veterans Memorial Field in Steelton, kids in Highspire can practice route running or play with friends and classmates at Highspire Memorial Park. This public green space park includes a children's playground and a few hard-surface courts for tennis and basketball. For a quieter natural respite, the Highspire Reservoir Park offers a serene environment as walking paths wind through the low-hung trees and wetlands past the waterfowl, turtles and amphibians who make the reservoir their home.
Unique locales along 2nd Street
Local mom-and-pop shops, small cafes and vehicle dealers cluster along 2nd Street. Highspire Diner’s retro sign and silver train-car building welcome locals into its classic diner atmosphere. Complete with subway tiling and traditional bar seats, the diner offers an extensive menu of staples like blueberry pancakes and burgers. In a small strip mall along the main roadway, kids and adults enjoy browsing the aisles of Brick Heads, a local second-hand shop carrying a massive inventory of new and used LEGO sets.
Planting trees for Arbor Day
Every spring, the community gathers at Highspire Memorial Park for the Arbor Day Celebration. A local tradition since the early 1990s, the community cleanup day is hosted by the Highspire Historical Society and involves planting and caring for trees throughout the neighborhood. Complete with a tree dedication and community lunch, the event attracts dozens of residents yearly.
Easy access to interstates and the airport
The Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 283 connect folks to Harrisburg, and alternatively, residents can board a regional CAT bus on 2nd Street to reach Harrisburg's offices and businesses. “It is a great location if you need to be close to the airport and the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” Daniels says. The Harrisburg International Airport is right next door, just a mile down 2nd Street.
Written By
Christina von Claparede-Crola
Photography Contributed By
Danny Lambert
