Johnstown Flood Museum

Johnstown, Pa experienced a catastrophic flood in 1889.
You can read more about it here on Wikipedia

We visited the Museum which is housed in the library donated by Andrew Carnegie since the first one was destroyed by the flood. 

 It's interesting to note that Carnegie was a member of the club that vacationed at the lake resort, yet no member of that resort was ever held liable for the flood even though they owned and maintained the dam.


The third floor of the library was used as a gym and even had a track for walking around the perimeter near the ceiling.



From the windows of the museum you can see the bridge (replaced after the flood) where all the debris washed down and caught up.  Eventually this burst into flames killing people who may have otherwise been saved.

The second floor has a theatre where you can view a documentary about the flood and view photos from that time period.

Here are photos of the flood damage featured on the first floor of the museum.

There is a recreation of the debris that piled up at the bridge.

And then some of the articles of clothing and household wares that survived the flood.  Some of the owners of these were identified.

The diorama helps you picture the distance the flood waters traveled and how they gained such speed and depth roaring through the twists and turns of the valleys.  Johnstown sits in a flood plain there in the foreground.

 It's quite a moving exhibit.  Worth the visit if you are ever in that part of Pennsylvania.