John Goodway Sycamore Tree

Once thought to be the largest American sycamore in the state of Pennsylvania, the John Goodway sycamore has long been overshadowed by taller or wider trees. It’s often obscured by various shrubs and its suburban surroundings. This tree is a giant nonetheless, deemed a “Champion tree” by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, a title indicating that it’s one of the largest of its species in the entire state. 

The tree garnered its name from an indigenous American man, who was believed to be buried just 10 feet north of the tree, possibly of Shawnee or Susquehannock descent. However, not much else is known about Goodway. What information is available often reveals more about the historical biases of the period in which Goodway lived than it does the man himself.

Although the tree is thought to be 400 years old, it’s believed it was planted in the region around 1795.