Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Encyclopedia
Johnstown Flood National Memorial commemorates the approximately 2,200 people who died in the Johnstown Flood
of 1889, caused by a break in the South Fork Dam
. Clara Barton
successfully led the American Red Cross
in its first disaster relief effort. The memorial is located at 733 Lake Road near South Fork, Pennsylvania
, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Johnstown
. The memorial preserves the remains of the dam and portions of the former Lake Conemaugh bed. The United States Congress
authorized the national memorial
on August 31, 1964.
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
of 1889, caused by a break in the South Fork Dam
South Fork Dam
The South Fork Dam was located on Lake Conemaugh, an artificial body of water located near South Fork, Pennsylvania, United States. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam failed catastrophically and 20 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh burst through and raced 14 miles downstream, causing the...
. Clara Barton
Clara Barton
Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" Barton was a pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse, and humanitarian. She is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross.-Youth, education, and family nursing:...
successfully led the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
in its first disaster relief effort. The memorial is located at 733 Lake Road near South Fork, Pennsylvania
South Fork, Pennsylvania
South Fork is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Johnstown
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. The memorial preserves the remains of the dam and portions of the former Lake Conemaugh bed. The United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
authorized the national memorial
National Memorial
National Memorial is a designation in the United States for a protected area that memorializes a historic person or event. National memorials are authorized by the United States Congress...
on August 31, 1964.
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