Did you know Pennsylvania’s Capital City had a different name?

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Harrisburg has been the capital of Pennsylvania since 1812 and would be the third city to serve as the Commonwealth’s capital (Lancaster and Philadelphia).

But like how Harrisburg hasn’t always been the state capital it also wasn’t named Harrisburg either.

Harrisburg got its name from John Harris Jr. who founded the city in 1791 but the city wasn’t named Harrisburg.

Did you know: This Pennsylvania city was the first United States Capital

According to Dauphin County, Harrisburg was called “Louisburg” before being changed to the current name.

So where did Louisburg come from, well it was named after French King (Dauphin) Louis XVI.

King Louis, according to Chateau De Versailles, would face immense pressure as the leader of France because his reign took place during the French Revolution.

The king did aid America during the American Revolution and is honored by a county named in his honor, Dauphin County, in which present-day Harrisburg is located.

Although the name of the area was known as Louisburg, this name had a short run and would be changed in 1791.

King Louis XVI was given the throne by his grandfather, Louis XV, and the kingdom that was given to the new king was already weakened and divided.

Chateau De Versailles states that Louis XVI would meet his demise in 1793 via a guillotine and was the final king to live in the Palace of Versailles.

Although no king lives in the Palace of Versailles, there is a Versailles, Pennsylvania in Allegheny County. The only difference between the French name and the Pennsylvania name is the pronunciation.

The French pronounce Versailles as Ver-Sigh while the Pennsylvania township of Versailles is Ver-Sails.

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