William C. Goodridge, Businessman, Abolitionist - York, PA
N 39° 57.884 W 076° 43.549
18S E 352604 N 4425268
This is a wonderful interpretive with a matching official PA historic marker which tells about this famous man who was born into slavery, achieved freedom, earned business success and was a prominent figure in the Underground Railroad.
Waymark Code: WM995Y
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/17/2010
Views: 2
The sign overlooks his home and is street side. This sign of history is part of the PA Civil War Trails. The Pennsylvania Civil War Trails lets people discover the Civil War where it happened and fully appreciate the cost and sacrifice of PA's Commonwealth in the struggle for justice and equality. The signs immerse the readers/visitors in the real-life stories, roadtrips using ultra-high resolution panoramic photos. They signs are designed for people to experience firsthand the people, places, and events that shaped Pennsylvania's Civil War heritage.
From battlefields and museums to Story Stops and living history interpreters, this enlightening experience is a journey to the margins. Here the silent stories are told, the faceless brought to life, the places in between explored. Here the small towns and families who endured our most personal war are the heroes. This marker is considered a Story Stop and is but one small story in a giant tapestry of infamous tales.
The sign of history reads:
WILLIAM C. GOODRIDGE
BUSINESSMAN, ABOLITIONIST
Born into slavery in 1805, WIlliam C. Goodridge was sent to York at age six to apprentice as a tanner. At age 16, Goodridge was given his freedom, left York and was trained as a barber. He returned to York in the 1820s. After opening a berber shop on Centre Square, Goodridge rose to prominence as one of York's most successful businessmen. He expanded his store to include imported toys, candies, perfumes, hair remedies, and much more. He also became a property owner and developer, constructing York's first 4.5 story building and owning up to twelve properties at one time. Goodridge began the Reliance Line of railcars, eventually providing service between York and Philadelphia.
In addition to his business ventures, he also became prominent on the Underground Railroad. His properties, including this house as well as Centre Hal on the Square, served as stations. Runaway slaves were hidden in the root cellar of his home, which was accessible via a hidden door in the kitchen floor. The goodridge railcars were also used to transport runaway slaves to safety. Goodridge was a notable York resident until the mid-1860s, when he left to join family members in Minnesota and thereafter, Michigan.
The house and museum are area attractions. Here is the advertisement for that:
Visit the home of William C. Goodridge, one of the area's most active Underground Railroad stationmasters. A prominent African American businessman in York, Goodridge built the tallest building of its time in York City, and often hosted anti-slavery meetings with noted abolitionists. Goodridge worked in a variety of fields during his life, but the one most connected with the Quest for Freedom involved Goodridge's work with the railroad industry. The Goodridge Reliance Line comprised 13 railroad cars serving 20 PA communities. Goodridge used his rail cars to transport escaping slaves along the Underground Railroad. Goodridge also hid fugitive slaves inside his house, in a secret room at the back of his basement, and in a straw lined trench located under a building at the back of his house. Today his home still stands as evidence to the drive and ambition necessary for a black man in his time to build the kind of wealth and standing that Goodridge possessed in the York community, but also as a testament to the extreme humanity he exhibited through selfless acts as he risked his own life to guide escaping slaves to freedom.
