304 Washington Street
Johnstown, PA, 15901
814-539-1889
URL : http://www.jaha.org
overview : "On May 31st, 1889, a wall of water over 35 feet high crashed down on the small industrial city of Johnstown, PA. The water was let loose when, 14 miles north of Johnstown, the South Fork Dam failed. In a few short hours, the city was destroyed and 2,209 people became the victims of the worst man-made disaster of all time. This tragic story is brought to life at the Johnstown Flood Museum, located at 304 Washington Street in downtown Johnstown. Through state-of-the-art exhibit technology, visitors can understand what life in Johnstown was like both before and after the Flood, how and why the South Fork Dam failed, and the incredible amount of effort it took to rebuild the community.
collections : Artifacts - a set of keys, a bedraggled quilt a piece of china - evoke the sense of loss and devastation that permeated the community after the Flood. Movies and cartoons explain how the Flood story became a part of popular culture in America at the turn of the century. Multi-media exhibits tell us of the heroic efforts of residents and the American Red Cross to house and feed the tens of thousands of homeless survivors.
topics : maritime
