Dauphin County Government

Dauphin County

• Dauphin County is home to Pennsylvania's capital city of Harrisburg

• Dauphin County is one of the oldest and most influential counties in the development of our nation. Located in south central Pennsylvania, this 557.7-square-mile area is approximately 100 miles west of Philadelphia and 200 miles east of Pittsburgh. 

• The county was named "Dauphin, “(Heir Apparent) in honor of the eldest son of the King of France, who had come to the aid of the American colonies during the American Revolution.

Local History

• In about 1727, John Harris, Jr. was born. Harris, Jr. became the founder of Harrisburg and the leader in the movement to establish Dauphin County. Other settlers soon followed in the footsteps of John Harris, Sr., and on December 17, 1733, the proprietaries of Pennsylvania granted to him by patent, 300 acres of land, within which was included the present site of the Dauphin County Court House.

Local History Cont’d

• He developed a large trade with the Indians in fur and skins and established numerous trading posts. He also began farming on a small scale and introduced the first plow to the vicinity. Harris, Sr. established the first ferry across the Susquehanna, which in time became so popular that that place was no longer called by its Indian name of Peixtan, but Harris' Ferry.

• John Harris, Sr. died in 1748, and was buried, at his request, beneath the shade of a mulberry tree in River Park below Harrisburg Hospital. He had once been tied to this tree by hostile Indians who were prepared to burn him, but fortuitously, his Indian friends rescued him in the nick of time. John Harris, Jr. operated the ferry established by his father, over which were taken many boatloads of supplies for the Continental army west of the Susquehanna River.

Reenactment of the Harris Ferry

Dauphin County Board of Commissioners

Commissioners

• The Board of Commissioners is the legislative and administrative body of county government. Each commissioner is elected to a four-year term.

• The Commissioners oversee the county's employees, the budget, and the administration of county programs.

• The Board meets weekly on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. to transact the county's business.

• All citizens are welcome to attend the meetings.

County Treasurer

Robert Dick

County Treasurer

• The Dauphin County Treasurer is elected to a four-year term to serve as the custodian of county funds. The Treasurer's Office receives and accounts for all money due or accruing to the county and receives all taxes collected by the county's 39 tax collectors.

• In addition to receiving all tax revenues, the Treasurer's Office issues several different licenses: hunting licenses; sportsmen’s permits (which requires applicants to have a current fishing and hunting license, I.D. such as a driver’s license, and be 18 years of age or older); bingo, and small games of chance. Slot machines and video poker are excluded from the games of chance permit.

Coroner’s Office

• Graham S. Hetrick, Coroner

• The Coroner is elected to a four-year term to investigate sudden, unexplained deaths, accidental deaths, homicides, suicides and other deaths of questionable circumstances.

• The Coroner plays a crucial role in gathering forensic evidence for the criminal justice system in Dauphin County.

County Controller

• The County Controller is elected to a four-year term. She supervises the fiscal operations established by the Board of Commissioners. The Controller performs the centralized accounting for all county funds and processes tens of thousands of accounting transactions for $170,000,000 in cash and interfund activity. Marie E. Rebuck

Prothonotary

• The Dauphin County Prothonotary is elected to a four-year term to record and file all legal papers related to the civil court. These documents may include arbitration hearings, argument court and civil trials, building agreements, change of names, issue of divorce certificates, and landlord/tenant disputes.

Stephen E. Farina

Recorder of Deeds

• The Recorder of Deeds is elected to a four-year term. The office is responsible for documents related to property, including, but not limited to, deeds, mortgages and easements .

James Zugay

Register of WillsThe Dauphin County Register

of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court is held by one person elected to a four-year term. The office serves many purposes: probate of wills of deceased residents of Dauphin County; appointment of estates of individuals without a will; receipt of inheritance taxes; applications for marriage licenses; petitions for adoption; parental rights issues; and appointment of guardianships for incapacitated individuals. Sandy Snyder

• Lowell A. Witmer, Clerk of Courts Dauphin County Courthouse

• The Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas is an independent official of the court elected to a four-year term. The Clerk of Courts is responsible for records, books and dockets of the Criminal Court. The office, staffed with fully trained professionals, receives appeals; processes bail; communicates with various state agencies; prepares prison commitments; and records and distributes motions.

• Additionally, the Clerk of Courts licenses private investigators, is responsible for jury management and assesses and distributes court costs and fines.

District Attorney

• Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the County.

• Elected to a 4-Year Term

Ed Marsico

Sheriff

• The Sheriff is elected to a 4-Year Term as the arm of the court.– Serves Court Papers– Delivers Prisoners– Secures the

Courtroom

Jack Lotwick

Tax Information

• Dauphin County taxes

County Parks

WILDWOOD

Fort Hunter

Wiconisco Creek Park

Lykens Glen

• The Glen Park is nestled along Rattling Creek near the borough of Lykens. Get out and explore this beautiful park in its wintertime splendor. Park amenities include two open-air picnic pavilions which are available for rent, a sand volleyball court and a tot lot.