Named after the civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King City Government Center has become an important element of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The building represents the third generation of development to occupy this site, showcasing what it can mean for a landmark to transform a space and provide a means of identity for a community. However, doing so is the result of the installation of modern monuments that have come to define it.
In the early 1980s, as part of its efforts to revitalize Center City Harrisburg, local government officials made the commitment to erect the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King City Government Center as a symbol of the growth and improvement of Harrisburg as a whole. This would just be the first element of a transformation of the space to become an essential element of the community.
The front of the building has been designed as Menaker Plaza, named for the first woman elected to public office in the city. Miriam Menaker, known as “Mim,” was both a City Council Member and Council President in the 1970s and 1980s. However, the large “Crystal” sculpture is what has come to define the space and turn it into a true landmark for Harrisburg.
Completed in 1982 by sculptor Roy Gustow, the sculpture literally reflects audiences and the surrounding cityspace. These reflections enable numerous experiences and interpretations of the piece and setting, providing residents and visitors with distinct ways to interact with it. The City Government Center has become the site of many ceremonies and public functions, in no small part to the connection that “Crystal” has cultivated.
As one of the only municipal headquarters buildings to be named after the name who changed the face of civil rights in the world, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King City Government Center would always have a deep connection to the Harrisburg community. Menaker Plaza and “Crystal” have further cultivated this connection and provided a means of identity that resonates with residents and visitors across the eras.
