Much like the rest of the nation, South Central Pennsylvania struggled
with slavery. The institution lingered locally for more than fifty
years, although it was virtually extinct everywhere else within
Pennsylvania.
Gradually, anti-slavery views prevailed. The Appalachian Mountains and
the Susquehanna River provided natural cover for fleeing slaves, causing
an influx of travel along the Underground Railroad. Locals like William
Wright and James McAllister assisted these runaways while publicly
advocating to abolish slavery. Historian Cooper Wingert reveals the
struggles between slavery and abolition in South Central Pennsylvania.