History

At the treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1786, an agreement was reached between chiefs of the Iroquois and representatives of the Penn family’s proprietary government that opened up settlement of Pennsylvania south of the historic Kittanning Path that included the valley created by the Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers.

In 1793, a 249 acre tract of land spanning from the Conemaugh to Stonycreek River was sold to Joseph Schantz (Johns). Johns divided the land into 141 lots and streets thereby creating his namesake – Johnstown.  During its early days, the City was a transportation hub whose canals and stationary engines used to pull freight uphill connected Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia.

The City, founded in 1841, forged through the 19th Century at the forefront of the modernized steel making industry thanks to its abundant coal and iron ore supply.  During this century, the City witnessed a mass immigration of people from Europe seeking work in the mills and a new life in America. 

On May 31, 1889, the City was devastated when a 20 million gallon reservoir 10 miles away unleashed a 35 foot high wall of flood water on the town. This event which claimed 2,200 lives brought the City national attention but more importantly created the resilient nature the City is known for. Within a few years of the flood, the mills were back to producing mass quantities of steel and the City had regained the population it lost as a result of the flood. From 1901-1920, the City’s population increased five fold to 67,000 and held steady in until 1950.  By that same year, the steel industry employed over 16,000 workers with a payroll over a million dollars a week. 

In a twist of fate, the City fell victim to two more floods in 1936 and 1977. The flood of 1936 was the lesser in terms of impact. After the 1977 flood, many businesses decided not to reopen while residents moved to the higher ground of the suburbs.  Shortly after, the decline of Bethlehem Steel forced many people to leave the area entirely.  The future of the City was a question that weighed heavily on the community’s collective mind.

After the closing of Bethlehem Steel in 1992, the City began a long road to economic diversification to create opportunities for its residents separate from its steel history. Today, the City is home to world class health care facilities, technology based manufacturing, and defense contractors.   

While our history can be uncovered in our proud residents and landmarks like the Inclined Plane and Flood Museum, we are working hard to create a “new” history for our future generations to be proud of.     

- Photos courtesy of Johnstown
Area Heritage Association