• A view of the South and North abutments of the South Fork Dam. The Visitor Center, Unger House, and Spring House are visible in the background. As is visible, a spur railroad line connects coal trains with the main line of the railroad.

    Johnstown Flood

    National Memorial Pennsylvania

History & Culture

It is usually a mistake to judge past events using current day standards. To gain an appreciation of what happened back in 1889 when the Lake Conemaugh dam broke read some of the statements of witnesses under the Collections Heading. The Stories section has accounts by Pennsylvania Railroad employees. In the Places section learn about the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club and the history of the old dam that preceded the club. Members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club are discussed in the People section.

 

For people doing genealogical searches, try looking through the Burial Records posted here, or Morgue Book records described here.

Did You Know?

Clara Barton

The Flood provided the newly formed American Red Cross under the leadership of Clara Barton with its first test. Barton and her staff of 50 doctors and nurses arrived in Johnstown five days after the flood.