For the first time in York County, an African American is honored with a public statue
Centuries after he walked the streets of York, abolitionist and businessman William C. Goodridge was honored Friday with the unveiling of his statue. It is the first public statue of an African American in York County.
The life-sized statue depicts Goodridge sitting on a bench in front of his East Philadelphia Street home − now a historical museum − donning his famous 19th century top hat, paired with a double-breasted waistcoat, as he watches the street buzz with activity.
Surrounding him are replicas of his products, including bottles representing his homemade medicines, scissors of his trade as a barber, and a daguerreotype camera to pay homage to his sons, who were pioneers in photography.
The museum, owned by Crispus Attucks York, exhibits the Goodridge family's life as Underground Railroad operators. Its most captivating attraction is a dirt cellar that was a hiding spot and haven for freedom seekers escaping the South, less than 35 miles away from the Mason-Dixon Line.
"We are here in the shadow of the 15th and 19th amendment anniversary to honor our dear brother William Goodridge," said historian interpreter Eric Jackson Sr., portraying Thomas Morris Chester.
Background:The tale of William C. Goodridge of York, PA would make a good movie
Goodridge was born enslaved on a farm in Baltimore in 1806. A person of mixed heritage, his father is assumed to be a part of the well-known Carroll family.
As a child, he came to York for an apprenticeship as a tanner, a person that turns animal hides into leather. At 16 years old, he gained his freedom and trained as a barber until he opened a business in 1824, his first of many business ventures, including selling oil for baldness.
He offered paid tours of a Christmas tree in his home before selling them to the public. He rented stoves at his emporium, a building that provides a variety of services and products. He even offered a place to bathe with hot or cold water.
By the late 1840s, his building on York's Centre Square was the tallest in York. It stood at five stories, becoming the first skyscraper in York until John Hartman, a white businessman, built a taller building because he did not want a Black man to own the tallest building in the community.
Goodridge's entrepreneurship expanded to a rail line with 13 cars, used to transport enslaved people from the South to freedom east of the Susquehanna River. His home, a short distance from the old railroad, was among a series of safe houses known collectively as The Underground Railroad.
Goodridge lived in York at a time when it was hard for Black people to achieve such success. As the once predominantly white community grows in diversity, his statue represents the county's African American history.
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In addition to the statue, Mayor Micheal Helfrich announced that Aug. 12 is now William C. Goodridge day in the city.
"It is so rare that you can stand at a place like this, in the halls and the same room that these heroes walked and planned and brought people in to help save countless lives," Helfrich said.
People are welcome to sit beside Goodridge on his bronze bench, wrap their arms around him and take photos as they greet him.
"Mr. Goodridge risked his life, freedom, and fortune to help others receive freedom," said Gov. Tom Wolf, who attended the ceremony. "His story is an important part of York and American history and one that we all should learn from."
Katia Parks covers public safety issues for the York Daily Record. Please feel free to reach her at KParks@ydr.com. Follow her on Facebook (@Katia Parks), Twitter (@parksphoto), and Instagram (@katia.l.parks).
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: William Goodridge statue is first in York to honor African Americans
