Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Johnstown is a city located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 23,906.

History

Johnstown, settled in 1770, is perhaps most famous for its frequent floods. The "Great Flood" of May 31, 1889 occurred after the South Fork Dam collapsed 16 kilometers upstream from the city during heavy rains. At least 2,200 persons died as a result of the flood and subsequent fire that raged through the debris. Other major floods occurred in 1936 and 1977.

Related Topics:
Flood - "Great Flood" - May 31 - 1889 - South Fork Dam - Rain - Fire - 1936 - 1977

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Johnstown was founded in 1800 by the Swiss German settler Joseph Johns. The settlement was initially known as Schranzstadt, but was soon anglicized to Johnstown. From 1834 to 1854, the city was an important port along the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, located where the western branch of the canal connected to the Allegheny Portage Railroad. By 1860, iron, coal, and steel became important. Johnstown lies at the formation of the Conemaugh River. In July of 1902, Johnstown's Rolling Mill Mine was the scene of a mining accident which killed 112 miners. By 1920, Johnstown was primarily a steel producer. Johnstown's steelmaking facilities never really recovered from damage suffered in the 1977 flood and by the early 1990s, steel was no longer being produced. Johnstown has yet to find its economic footing for the 21st century. In 2003, US Census data showed that Johnstown was the city in the United States least likely to attract newcomers, demonstrating the weak opportunities provided by the local manufacturing and service economies. Recently the drug industry has been growing in Johnstown. Many illegal drugs are grown and sold to minors. The area's only drug dog has helped out for several drug busts recently. Johnstown remains a regional medical, educational, and communications center, however.

Related Topics:
1800 - Swiss - German - 1834 - 1854 - Pennsylvania Main Line Canal - Allegheny Portage Railroad - 1860 - Iron - Coal - Steel - Conemaugh River - Rolling Mill Mine - 1920 - 1990s - Economic - 21st century - 2003 - Census - Manufacturing - Service - Medical - Educational - Communications

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In recent years, the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, a concert/theatrical venue at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, continues to attract high-quality performers. The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the recently-formed Johnstown Symphony Chamber Players provide high quality classical music. The Pasquerilla Convention Center was recently constructed in the downtown area, adjacent to the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Under construction in 2005 is a new multi-use facility to replace the aging Point Stadium. Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center is about to construct a major medical complex on the site of an abandoned industrial property very close to the downtown area. A recently-passed zoning ordinance creates an artist zone, and a traditional neighborhood zone, to encourage both artistic endeavors and the old-fashioned "Mom and Pop" enterprises that had difficulty under the previous code. The Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center offers many exhibitions, events, performances, and classes that celebrate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Area. The recently-established ART WORKS In Johnstown! will house artists studios in some of the area's architecturally significant but abandoned industrial buildings. A pilot ART WORKS project is underway and will feature Johnstown's first fully LEED certified green building. Both of these institutions are in the historic Cambria City section of town, which boasts a variety of ethnic churches and social halls, a treasure trove of this unique cultural crossroads. This neighborhood hosted the National Folk Festival for three years in the early 1990s.

Related Topics:
Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center - University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown - Johnstown Symphony Orchestra - Pasquerilla Convention Center - Cambria County War Memorial Arena - Point Stadium - Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center - Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center - ART WORKS In Johnstown! - National Folk Festival

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Significant (and largely successful) efforts have been made to deal with deteriorating housing, brownfields, the drug problem, and other issues. The Johnstown Fire Department has become a leader in developing intercommunication systems among first responders and is now a national model for ways to avoid the communications problems which faced many first responders on 9/11/2001. After many tumultuous and controversial years, the Johnstown Police Department has become a thoroughly professional organization. Regional issues, such as transportion, are high on the agenda, and cooperation among municipalities and authorities is becoming more the rule rather than the exception.

Related Topics:
Johnstown Fire Department - Johnstown Police Department

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