History
The Johnstown Flood Museum is located in a beautiful, historic library building that's part of the flood story -- Andrew Carnegie, a member of the club that owned the dam that failed, causing the flood, donated the money to build it. The museum re-opened in 1989 on the 100th anniversary of the flood, following a major renovation that included the production of the museum's Academy Award-winning documentary. It is owned and operated by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association (JAHA), which also has the Heritage Discovery Center and Peoples Natural Gas Park. JAHA is currently working to raise funds to once again renovate the museum and add to its exhibits.
Specialties
The Johnstown Flood Museum tells the story of the great 1889 disaster that killed 2,209 people and destroyed the city. Caused by a dam failure, the catastrophe became the second-biggest news story of the 19th century. The dam was owned by a club of some of the wealthiest industrialists in Pittsburgh -- people like Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon -- while those in the flood's path were ordinary people, many of them steelworkers and coal miners. The flood had an immediate and long-lasting effect on American history. The museum' includes exhibits on Clara Barton and the fledgling American Red Cross; the worldwide response; depictions of the flood in popular culture; and the town's remarkable recovery. The compelling story is told through exhibits, artifacts, a fiberoptic map, and an Academy Award-winning documentary produced by Charles Guggenheim.