To join our Facebook Page :CLICK HERE

To read the Johnstown Tribune - World War II Collection: CLICK HERE

 To read thru our old Johnstown Newspaper Collection - CLICK HERE

Monday, July 31, 2017

Lincoln Building


One of the leading office buildings in Downtown Johnstown around 1900 was the Lincoln Building on Franklin Street facing Lincoln Street. Later Cambria Savings and Loan occupied the site. 
A shop was on the first floor. The upper floors were occupied by doctors, lawyers, insurance offices and lodge rooms. It was a stone and brick structure, extending from Franklin Street to the alley in the rear. 
Next to it on the right was the First Lutheran Church. Both buildings were destroyed in the most disasterous fire in the history of the city up to that time - March 17, 1918, when the Rose and Suppes buildings - also on Franklin Street were destroyed. The fire jumped across the rear alley and destroyed the old Kline's Store on Main Street. Kline's later built a store in the 300 block of Main. 

Trolley Time


Ferndale

Prospect Homes



 
Prospect Homes under construction

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Richman Brothers




VJ Repeat - Richman Brothers - Downtown Johnstown. Sometimes there are things that you don't even realize you miss - until you see a picture like this - I miss the look of all those lighted up store fronts.

Henry Haws House


Residence of Henry Haws - 1894
One of the showplaces of the time belonged to Henry Haws, son of the founder of Haws Refractories. His home was located on Vine Street where the First Lutheran Church is now located. 

Trolley Time


Main Street

Friday, July 28, 2017

Vine Time


Vine Street looking towards the Point from Franklin Street. This 1906 photo shows that section contained residents only. It wasn't until years later that a church, the old YMCA and business places began to locate in the area. The large house on the right was part of the Ellis estate that was torn down to build the Lutheran church. 

Trolley Time


Main Street

Early Moxham


Nice look at Moxham from around 1910 or so.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Pizza Mobil


A reader sent this shot in - Harry's Pizzamobil.

The Old Opera House


The Adaire Opera House, Franklin Billiard Hall and John Lenton Hardware. Pre-1889 Flood - Downtown Johnstown.

St. Stephen's


St. Stephen's Church in Cambria City.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Broad Street


The end of Broad Street before you turn right to get to the Coopersdale Bridge

Franklin Street - 1906


Scene along Franklin Street - 1906. This shows the old Woolf Block at the corner of Lincoln and Franklin Streets before old U.S. Bank and the old First National Bank buildings were built - also on the spot was the old Penn Furniture building.
The first floor of the big Woolf block was occupied by a number of stores including Hannan's Drug Store, a grocery store and the old Johnstown Democrat. Just past where the wagon is (corner of Main & Franklin) is the old Dibert Bank Building. The First National Bank Building was built on the site soon after this picture was taken. 

Trolley Time


Franklin Street

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Remembering the Victims - 1977 Flood


On this special 40th anniversary - let's take the time to remember those whose didn't survive that dreadful day.
The monument in Central Park.
In all 80 men, women and children died and 8 victims are still missing to this day.
LIST OF VICTIMS:
Old Conemaugh Borough
Julie A. Luther - Age 8
Mary Ann Luther - Age 36
Hornerstown
Kimberly Keck - Age 23
Michael Vincent Keck - Age 3
Vincent Keck - Age 28
Michelle Keck - Age 2 - Still Missing
Walnut Grove
Helen Schofield - Age 61
James E. Schofield - Age 28
Donald Cover Jr. - Age 23
West End
Nancy Cooper - Age 30
Dale Borough
Marie C. Cobaugh - Age 70
Edith Faye Emmel - Age 41
Judy Emmel - Age 7
William H. Emmel - Age 43
Robert Leroy Hershberger - Age 89
Norman J. Pfeil - Age 63
Raymond Rhoads - Age 34 - Still Missing
James Edward Smith - Age 39
Todd James Smith - Age 7
Troy Jay Smith - Age 8
--------------------------------------
LIST OF VICTIMS:
Seward
Shawn Michael Dixon - Age 11 - Still Missing
Florence Lydic - Still Missing
Strongstown
Robert Stephens - Age 40 (Stevens)
Tanneryville
Allen Lee Blough - Age 29
Desire Blough - Age 2
Jennifer Blough - Age 28
Melvin Boring - Age 36
Elvie Bowser - Age 68
Jack F. Cale - Age 67
Eliza Ann Daroczy - Age 61
Cynthia Gibson - Age 8
Ernest Shawn Gibson - Age 12
Tammy Gibson - Age 30
Theresa Gibson - Age 46
Donald Merle Keiper - Age 54
Debra Ann Mavrich - Age 15
Mark Edward Mavrich - Age 13
Carol Ann Pavlosky - Age 34
Helen Pilot - Age 59
Stanley Pilot Sr. - Age 63 - Still Missing
George Piskurich - Age 64
Olga Piskurich - Age 60
Katherine Rishell - Age 55
Kathy Rishell - Age 5
LIST OF VICTIMS:
Tanneryville
Thomas Rishell - Age 34
Theodore G. Rummel - Age 64
Barbara Selders - Age 40
Robert Selders - Age 42
Donna Sowerbrower - Age 16
Mark Sowerbrower Jr. - Age 4 months - Still Missing
Charles A. Stoner Jr. - Age 59
Louella Elizabeth Stoner - Age 57
Sharen Stoner - Age 24
Sheldon W. Stoner - Age 23
Dorothy Teeter - Age 50
Allen Thomas - Age 40
Pamela Thomas - Age 10
Patricia Thomas - Age 36
Sandra Thomas - Age 12
Edith Fern Weaver - Age 55
Kenneth Weaver - Age 73
Shirley Bailey - Age 41 - Still Missing
Melissa Mitchell - Age 10 - Still Missing
Windber
Andrew Koharchik Jr. - Age 46
Marguerite Koharchik - Age 46
Summerhill
Marlin B. Mervine - Age 63
-----------------------------------------
LIST OF VICTIMS:
Dilltown
Julia Kameliski - Age 70
Dunlo
Chad Allen Gdula - Age 6
Kathleen Gdula - Age 23
James E. Smith - Age 61
Mineral Point
Harry M. Teeter - Age 74
Lula Teeter - Age 70
Richland
Robert Casciotti - Age 24
George Ribich - Age 50
Milka Ribich - Age 74
John J. Rokosz - Age 24
Howard Wilson - Age 24
George Zidzik - Age 50
Scalp Level
Helen Zidzik - Age 62
Susan Zidzik - Age 33
Seward
Greg Allen Dixon - Age 9
Myrtle Leslie - Age 77
Pauline Long - Age 53
Thelma Ressler - Age 52
Larry Edward Ressler - Age 36
The dams that surround Johnstown, stretching throughout the Conemaugh Valley, were unsuspecting accomplices in the Great Flood of 1977. They were duped by the instigator - the rain.
When they failed, six dams poured more than 128 million gallons of water into the Conemaugh Valley. In comparison approximately 4.8 billion gallons were unleashed on Johnstown when the South Fork Dam burst in 1889.
A phenomenal amount of rainfall - 11.82 inches in 10 hours - was too much for both the dams and the sewers in the Conemaugh Valley. The Corps of Engineers originally called the ’77 flood a 500 year flood, but it’s been downgraded slightly since then. The dams failed because of overtopping. The dams that burst were:
Laurel Run Dam on Laurel Run. The aged old earthen dam held 101 million gallons of water. It had a 42 foot high spillway. The dam was owned by the Johnstown Water Authority. When it failed the water enveloped Tanneryville and caused deaths and heavy property losses. The Laurel Run Dam was built by Cambria or Bethlehem Steel, then sold to the Water Authority when it was created.
Sandy Run Dam on Sandy Run. The dam held 18 million gallons of water. It was owned by the Highland Water and Sewer Authority. The 63 year old dam had a spillway of 28 feet
Salix Water Dam on Otto Run. It held 2 million gallons of water. Its spillway height was under 25 feet. It is owned by the Adams Township Water Authority.
Cambria Slope Mine 33 on Sanders Run. It held 7 million gallons of water. The dam leased by Bethlehem Mines Corp. had a spillway of 32 feet
Unnamed Dam on Peggy’s Run, Franklin Borough. This dam was leased by Bethlehem Mines Corp. and held an undetermined amount of water at the time of the flood because it was used as a catch basin.
An unnamed impoundment dam east of Johnstown at St. Michael held less than 1,000 gallons. It was a reserve dam for Bethlehem Mines Corp.
The dams were simply overwhelmed. After overtopping, water eroded the earthen embankments. There was total failure of five dams. The sixth, Cambria Slope Mine 33, retained about two-thirds of its contents.
The dams had not shown any defects in past inspections and no trouble was reported in them by the Pennsylvania Dept. Of Environmental Resources (DER). 
Without the work of the Army Corp. of Engineers and the Flood Control Project. A lot of you reading this post right now - would be dead.....end of story.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Granite and Marble


Berkebile-Gabriel & Sons - Iron Street - Phone 59-391

New 8th Ward Store


Koehler's - 983 Franklin Street

Trolley Time


What is so interesting about this shot is that on the upper right hand side of the trolley - is part of Island Park - where St. Andrews Church is now in Benscreek. The park (not nearly as big as Luna Park) had a few rides along with swimming and boating in Benscreek. 

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Art Metal


Art Metal Office Furniture. I dare say that some of this stuff is still floating around Johnstown because they were built to last.

U.S. Steel


U.S. Steel - Moxham Plant

Trolley Time


Central Avenue

Friday, July 14, 2017

Indian Sales


Indian Sales and Service - 154 C Street - Dial 49-462

Unknown Plot


Actual photographic look of the Unknown Plot at Grandview from the 1920's.
Note couple of the people standing around. 

Trolley Time