Johnstown, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnstown, Pennsylvania
City
View of Johnstown from the Inclined Plane
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Flood City
Location of Johnstown in Cambria County, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Johnstown, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Cambria
Founded	1800
Incorporated (borough)	1831 (as Conemaugh)
Incorporated (city)	December 18, 1889
Government
• Type	City Council
Area
• City	6.111 sq mi (15.827 km2)
• Land	5.913 sq mi (15.315 km2)
• Water	0.198 sq mi (0.514 km2)
Elevation	1,161 ft (354 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	18,411
• Estimate  (2023)	17,950
• Density	3,040/sq mi (1,172/km2)
• Urban	61,521 (US: 444th)
• Metro	130,668 (US: 313rd)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	15901–15902, 15904–15907, 15909, 15915, 15945
Area code(s)	814 and 582
FIPS code	42-38288
GNIS feature ID	1215025
Sales tax	6.0%
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
Designated:	October 1, 1947

Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the largest city in the county. In 2020, about 18,411 people lived there. Johnstown is about 57 miles (92 km) east of Pittsburgh. It is the main city of the Johnstown metropolitan area.

History of Johnstown

Johnstown City Hall today

Upper Main Street

Historic Franklin Street UMC survived all three major floods.

A steel mill plant in Downtown Johnstown

Johnstown was settled in 1770. The city is famous for three big floods it has experienced. The most well-known is the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889. This happened when the South Fork Dam broke after heavy rains. The dam was about 14 miles (23 km) upstream from the city. More than 2,209 people died from the flood and a fire that followed.

Another major flood happened in 1936. Even though President Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised to make the city flood-free, another big flood occurred in 1977.

Johnstown is home to several historic districts. These are special areas that keep their old buildings and look. Some important places listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Cambria Iron Company and the Johnstown Inclined Railway.

Early Days: 18th and 19th Centuries

A settlement was started here in 1791 by Joseph Jahns. The town was named after him. In 1800, a Swiss-German immigrant named Joseph Johns officially planned the town. It was first called "Schantzstadt" but soon became Johnstown.

From 1834 to 1854, Johnstown was an important stop on the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. Canal boats were carried over the mountains by the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Then, they were put back in the water in Johnstown to continue to Pittsburgh. Famous writer Charles Dickens even visited Johnstown by canal in 1842.

When the Pennsylvania Railroad was finished in 1854, trains replaced the canals. This helped Johnstown grow even more. The city became a stop on major railroad lines. The railroads helped develop the area's rich natural resources.

Iron, coal, and steel quickly became very important to Johnstown. By 1860, the Cambria Iron Company in Johnstown was the top steel producer in the United States. It made more steel than big cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. For many years, Johnstown made a lot of the nation's barbed wire. This made the city very successful. The Cambria Works grew to cover 60 acres (24 ha) and employed 7,000 people.

Floods were common in the valley during the 1880s. On May 30, 1889, heavy rain started. The next day, water filled the streets. A dam holding a lake in the mountains broke, sending about 20 million tons of water towards Johnstown. The city was destroyed in about 10 minutes. A busy steel town with homes, churches, and theaters was buried under mud. Out of about 30,000 people, at least 2,209 died. The old stone Pennsylvania Railroad bridge, where two rivers meet, caught fire during the flood. This bridge still stands today.

The Johnstown flood of 1889 led to the American Red Cross becoming a major relief organization. Its founder, Clara Barton, came to Johnstown with doctors and nurses. She stayed for five months to help with recovery.

The steel mills were back in action within a month. Johnstown became even more successful. The disaster made the community stronger. Johnstown officially became a city on April 7, 1890.

Johnstown in the 20th Century

In 1923, Johnstown's Mayor Joseph Cauffiel tried to make all African-Americans and Mexicans who had lived in Johnstown for less than seven years leave the city. This was after a shooting incident. Many African-Americans had moved to the Rosedale neighborhood during the Great Migration. About 500 African-Americans left the city, even though the mayor's order was not legal. The Ku Klux Klan also tried to scare the Black population. Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot stepped in to stop the mayor's order.

In the early 1900s, Johnstown's population reached 67,000. The city's first radio station, WJAC, started in 1925. The downtown area had many large department stores. However, the 1936 flood and the Great Depression caused problems for the city.

To solve the flooding problem, citizens asked President Franklin Roosevelt for help. In 1938, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers started a five-year project. They widened and deepened 9.2 miles (14.8 km) of river channel and built concrete walls. Johnstown citizens also worked to attract new businesses.

Professional ice hockey came to Johnstown in 1941. The city was proud to be "flood-free" after the river work. It did not flood during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, unlike many other cities.

After World War II, Johnstown was at its peak as a steel producer. Steel provided over 13,000 good jobs. But competition and Johnstown's location made it harder for the steel industry. New environmental rules in the 1970s also affected the aging steel plant.

Despite these challenges, city leaders worked to bring new businesses. Bethlehem Steel, the main steel company, decided to invest in new technology. However, the severe damage from the 1977 flood made the company consider leaving. The city convinced them to stay for a while. But by the early 1990s, Johnstown stopped most of its steel production. Some metal fabrication work still continues.

Johnstown in the 21st Century

In 2003, data showed Johnstown was not attracting many new people. However, the local economy has started to grow. Companies in wind energy and defense have opened facilities. Lockheed Martin and Höganäs AB are some of the companies here. The high-tech defense industry is now a major part of Johnstown's economy. The region gets over $100 million each year in government contracts.

Johnstown is still a center for medicine, education, and culture. Health care provides many jobs. Major hospitals include Memorial Medical Center and Windber Medical Center.

The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College are located nearby. The Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center hosts many shows. The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra performs classical music. The Pasquerilla Convention Center and the Cambria County War Memorial Arena are downtown. Point Stadium, a baseball park where Babe Ruth once played, was rebuilt.

The Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center celebrates the area's diverse cultures. The Frank & Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discovery Center tells the story of immigration to the area. It also has the Johnstown Children's Museum. The historic Cambria City section has many Eastern European churches. This neighborhood hosts the Flood City Music Festival. Johnstown also hosts the annual Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally. This event attracts over 200,000 motorcyclists.

Efforts are being made to improve housing and old industrial sites. The Johnstown Fire Department has become a national model for communication systems for first responders.

Geography

Johnstown is in southwestern Cambria County. The Conemaugh River starts in Johnstown. It forms where the Stonycreek River and the Little Conemaugh meet. The city has a total area of about 6.1 square miles (15.8 km2). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

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  Johnstown's Central Park

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  View of the city of Johnstown from atop the Inclined Plane

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  Johnstown Flood Memorial & Walking Trail

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  Downtown Johnstown during the holiday season

Panoramic view of Johnstown

Neighborhoods and Nearby Areas

Johnstown has many neighborhoods, each with its own feel. Some include Downtown, Kernville, Roxbury, and Cambria City. The borough of Dale is a small town completely surrounded by Johnstown.

Nearby suburbs include Westmont, Southmont, and Richland Township. Other areas around the city include Windber, South Fork, and Summerhill.

Climate

Population and People

In 2020, Johnstown had 18,411 people. There were 8,574 households in the city. About 22.8% of residents were under 18 years old. About 19.5% were 65 or older.

The population of Johnstown has changed over the years. In 2010, about 80% of the people were White, and 14.6% were African American. Many people in Johnstown have German, Irish, or Italian family backgrounds.

Economy and Jobs

When steel production went down, coal mining in Pennsylvania also decreased. This hurt Johnstown's economy. In 1982, the city's income dropped a lot.

However, Johnstown's economy has gotten better. This is mainly because of jobs in health care and high-tech defense. In 2018, Forbes magazine ranked Johnstown as one of the "Best Small Places For Business And Careers" in the U.S.

Some of the major employers in the area include:

Arts and Culture

Famous Landmarks

The Carnegie Library, now the Johnstown Flood Museum

The Stone Bridge stands today as it did in the 1800s

Morley's Dog, a sculpture that survived the 1889 flood

Johnstown has many interesting places to visit:

• Cambria County War Memorial Arena: A place for sports and events.
• Cambria Iron Company: A historic iron and steel plant, now a National Historic Landmark. Its image is on Johnstown's city seal.
• Famous Coney Island Hot Dogs: A restaurant founded in 1916, known for its hot dogs.
• Frank & Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discovery Center: This center has exhibits about immigration to the area. It also has the Johnstown Children's Museum and a film about steel history.
• Johnstown Flood National Memorial: A park that protects the remains of the South Fork Dam, which caused the 1889 flood.
• Johnstown Flood Museum: Shows a film about the 1889 flood.
• Johnstown Inclined Plane: The steepest vehicle inclined plane in the world. It carries cars and people up a hill.
• Peoples Natural Gas Park: A park that hosts events.
• Point Stadium: A baseball park where famous players like Babe Ruth once played.
• Silver Drive-In: The only drive-in theater in the Johnstown area.
• Staple Bend Tunnel: The first railroad tunnel built in the United States.
• The Stone Bridge: A historic railroad bridge over the Conemaugh River.

Annual Events

Johnstown hosts several events each year:

• "Rumble Through the Valley": A new motorcycle rally starting in June 2025. It replaces the "Thunder in the Valley" event.
• AAABA amateur baseball tournament: Held each summer at Point Stadium. Many future Major League Baseball players have played here.
• Flood City Music Festival: Held at Peoples Natural Gas Park, featuring national music acts.
• Sunnehanna Amateur golf tournament: Held at Sunnehanna Country Club. Top amateur golfers, including Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer, have played in this tournament.

Sports Teams

Johnstown has a long history with ice hockey. The Johnstown Chiefs played here for many years. In 2012, the Johnstown Tomahawks of the junior North American Hockey League started playing in Johnstown.

The city also has a history with baseball. Since 1944, Johnstown has hosted the AAABA Baseball Tournament every summer. Many famous baseball players have played in this tournament. The Johnstown Mill Rats, a summer college baseball team, play at Point Stadium.

Johnstown is also home to the Flood City Water Polo team.

Johnstown: Kraft Hockeyville USA 2015

Johnstown was named Kraft Hockeyville USA in 2015.

On May 2, 2015, Johnstown won the Kraft Hockeyville USA contest. The city received $150,000 to improve the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. As part of the prize, the arena hosted an NHL pre-season game. The Pittsburgh Penguins played against the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 29, 2015.

Education

Campus of University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Colleges and Universities

• University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown: Located just outside the city.
• Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
• Christ the Saviour Seminary

Secondary Schools

• The Greater Johnstown School District: Serves Johnstown and nearby townships. It has a pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, and cyber school.
• Bishop McCort High School: A private Catholic high school for grades 7 through 12.

Technology Schools

• The Greater Johnstown Career and Technology School: Located near the city.

Libraries

• The Cambria County Library: Located at 248 Main Street.

Media and News

Johnstown is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market.

• TV stations: WJAC-TV (NBC), WWCP-TV (Fox). Other stations from Altoona and State College also serve the area.
• Print publications: The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown Magazine, and Our Town Johnstown.
• Radio stations: Include WNTJ, WKGE, and WJHT.

City Services

Johnstown Inclined Plane

Transportation

• Highways: U.S. Route 219 connects Johnstown to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. PA Route 56 connects to U.S. Route 22.
• Airport: The John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport has flights to Washington-Dulles and Chicago-O'Hare.
• Train service: Amtrak's Pennsylvanian train stops at the Johnstown Amtrak station.
• Local transport: CamTran operates the local bus service and the Johnstown Inclined Plane (a special railway that goes up a steep hill).

Emergency Services

• Johnstown Fire Department: Has teams for hazardous materials and water rescues. They also teach fire safety classes.
• Johnstown Police Department (JPD): Has 35 full-time officers. The chief of police is Richard Pritchard.

Notable People from Johnstown

See also

In Spanish: Johnstown (Pensilvania) para niños