NEW VINTAGE JOHNSTOWN PROJECT: 1889 FLOOD SURVIVORS
A couple of weeks ago - longtime member Debra Orner was sorting through some things in her office after a move to another building in town.
A couple of weeks ago - longtime member Debra Orner was sorting through some things in her office after a move to another building in town.
She noticed for the first time a dog-eared, beat up old envelope. Not expecting anything of great interest to be inside, She pulled out some old Trib clippings. And almost cried.
Inside--piles of forms and letters - - most of them handwritten - - from 1889 Flood survivors, telling their stories.
In 1963, the Johnstown Jaycees had launched an effort to find as many survivors as they could in anticipation of the 75th anniversary commemoration in 1964. Of course, the very great majority of the respondents were children at the time - - but a lot of them were able to share details, including their street address in 1889.
I will be posting all the letters and forms she found to this blog. I will also include #JayceesFloodSurvivors with each post so they will be easily found by search. This will take you to our Vintage Johnstown Memories page on Facebook - which is a closed group. It's an offshoot of this blog - but it does have a slightly different look and people there are always posting their own pictures of old Johnstown.
It is our hope that, in addition to honoring and keeping the memory of these survivors alive, someone out there might find a family connection – or maybe just see who used to live in your house in 1889. : o)
It's going to be a great journey - going back and hearing from the people that were there and lived to tell about it!
It's going to be a great journey - going back and hearing from the people that were there and lived to tell about it!
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