Dedication of the William Goodridge Monument - 8/12/2022
PA Governor Tom Wolf and other dignitaries gathered in front of the William Goodridge Freedom Center and Underground Railroad site in York on Friday. They were there to unveil and dedicate a monument of William Goodridge, who was born in slavery but became one of York’s leading businessmen and a major leader on the Underground Railroad. It is the first statue of a black man erected in York.
The statue was created by Gettysburg sculptor Gary Casteel. For Casteel, this was the culmination of a four-year project. He first visited the site to discuss the project in July 2018 and developed the design concept shortly afterward. “Creating a public monument is a big project and this went as smoothly as any. A lot of people have to buy in and the money has to be raised,” he said.
In addition to honoring one of its most distinguished citizens and attracting visitors to the museum, people who sponsored the project hope it will also promote tourism.
Like his statue of Confederate General James Longstreet, located in Pitzer’s Woods along West Confederate Avenue in the Gettysburg National Military Park, Goodridge is human scale and appears at ground level. He sits invitingly on a bench, surrounded by various tools of his trades (including barber scissors and a lantern symbolizing his work with the Underground Railroad), ready to greet visitors.
”People don’t want to look at a statue on a 12-foot platform,” said Casteel. “They want to be able to interact with it, sit beside him, get a selfie.” And sure enough, the minute the ceremony ended, a line of dignitaries formed to get a photo with Mr. Goodridge.
Written by Leon Reed, staff writer for the Gettysburg Connection
The Dedication of the William Goodridge Monument - August 12
A Little History...
William Goodridge, a prominent African American businessman was born into slavery in Maryland in 1806 and given his freedom at the age of 16. By the time he was 18, he owned a barber shop, the first of many business enterprises that were to make him one of York's wealthiest citizens. Among other things, he owned 13 railroad cars and operated the Reliance Line, a freight shipping business. Among many business ventures, William Goodridge built and owned Centre Hall, which stood five stories tall and was the tallest commercial building in York, Pennsylvania at that time.
William Goodridge died on January 1, 1873, from “dropsy” (most likely congestive heart failure) at age 67. He was buried in Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery next to his son, Glenalvin Goodridge, and his grandson, Toussaint Grey.