In 1859, Osborn Perry Anderson, one of the few survivors of John Brown’s now famously failed raid on Harper’s Ferry emerged in York, PA before being stowed way in a hidden compartment under William C. Goodridge’s rail car and secretly transported to Philadelphia and onto freedom. In York, Goodridge, a former slave himself, hid Anderson for the summer under the stairs of the local newspaper office. While the newspaper published daily reports on the danger that Anderson posed to the community, he lived within earshot of the reporters and editors. Goodridge was a freed slave, and self-trained entrepreneur who became one of the richest men in York at the time. His house in York was a station of the Underground Railroad where many Freedom Seekers sought refuge in the straw-filled basement. Urban legend will tell you that the use of Goodridge’s railcars to assist Freedom Seekers is where the name Underground Railroad began. While that is hard to prove, there is no doubt, that Goodridge, his home, and his businesses were integral parts in the success of the Freedom Trail.

The William C. Goodridge Freedom House has experienced significant water damage and needs considerable renovations in order to be opened to the public. As part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, we will save a historically significant structure that will serve as a physical relic and a historical record of the Underground Railroad. When this property is restored, it will allow visitors to experience many perspectives relevant to the Underground Railroad.

Funds raised for this project will preserve this historically significant home, protecting it from continual damage from the elements and open it to the public. It will highlight the life and accomplishments of William C. Goodridge, the pivotal role he played in the Underground Railroad, his numerous accomplishments, and the impact that this history had on those who treasure freedom.