Community leaders secure historical marker at site of 1894 Northern lynching
Rep. Tarah Probst September 22, 2025 | 3:57 PM
STROUDSBURG, Sept. 22 – Thanks to the dedicated efforts of local leaders and historians, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission has approved a new historical marker at the spot where Richard Puryear, a Black man, was lynched in Stroudsburg in 1894, before "the Poconos" was nationally known as a tourism mecca.
The recognition comes after years of advocacy by state Rep. Tarah Probst, Pike County Commissioner and Monroe County NAACP Past President Christa Caceres, and the Monroe County Historical Association, who spearheaded the nomination and research process that brought this dark chapter of Monroe County’s history to light. Caceres, the first Black woman commissioner in Pike County, brought the story to Stroudsburg borough in 2020, setting off a chain of events leading to the marker confirmation.
“I am grateful to Christa, my staff who performed deep-dive research and wrote the application, and to the Monroe County Historical Association for their tireless work in bringing this truth and miscarriage of justice forward,” Probst said. “This marker is about remembrance, but also about justice, because he never had his due process, which is a pillar of our Constitution. May the Puryear family, wherever they are, know that Richard will never be forgotten.”
Puryear, a laborer, was accused of the murders of Christian and Louisa Ehlers, storekeepers in Tannersville, but the truth is uncertain, as Puryear was never tried. While in custody at the Monroe County jail, he was seized by a mob and murdered in one of only two documented lynchings in Pennsylvania. His story stands as a stark reminder that racial terror was not confined to the South but occurred throughout the United States.
“This is not only Monroe County’s history, but also America’s history,” Caceres added. “By acknowledging what happened to Richard Puryear, we join communities across the nation in confronting racial violence and building a more honest collective memory.”
The marker for Richard Puryear is especially timely as Pennsylvania prepares to commemorate the nation’s Semiquincentennial in 2026. Including Puryear’s story among this year’s dedications highlights the importance of reflecting on both the struggles and triumphs that have shaped the commonwealth.
The marker will be installed in Stroudsburg in the coming year. The dedication ceremony for the Richard Puryear marker will be announced in the coming months.