Great Johnstown Flood of 1889

E831977

The Great Johnstown Flood of 1889 was a catastrophic dam failure–induced deluge that devastated Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killing more than 2,200 people and becoming one of the deadliest and most infamous disasters in U.S. history.

All labels observed (8)

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf dam failure disaster
flood
affects Conemaugh Valley
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
alsoKnownAs Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood of 1889
associatedOrganization South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
commemoratedOn annual observances on May 31 in Johnstown
country United States
damage extensive destruction of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
damInvolved South Fork Dam
deadliestIn Pennsylvania history
deathToll >2200
documentedIn books
documentary films
newspaper accounts
photographs
estimatedPropertyDamage approximately $17 million (1889 USD)
firstMajorPeacetimeOperationOf American Red Cross
floodType dam-break flood
followedBy major relief effort by the American Red Cross
hasCause failure of the South Fork Dam
heavy rainfall
historicalSignificance catalyst for reforms in dam safety awareness in the United States
impactOnLaw influenced later discussions of strict liability for dam owners
legalOutcome no successful civil or criminal liability for dam owners
locatedIn Johnstown, Pennsylvania
locatedInAdministrativeEntity Cambria County, Pennsylvania
linked to: Cambria County

Pennsylvania
locatedInTimeZone Eastern Time Zone
mainCause breach of the South Fork Dam
memorializedBy Johnstown Flood National Memorial
memorialLocatedAt South Fork Dam site
notablePersonInvolved Andrew Carnegie (member of South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club)
linked to: Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Mellon (member of South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club)
linked to: Andrew W. Mellon

Henry Clay Frick (member of South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club)
linked to: Henry Clay Frick
oneOfDeadliest disasters in U.S. history
partOf history of American disasters in the 19th century
history of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
pointInTime 1889-05-31
precededBy days of heavy rain in late May 1889
reliefLeader Clara Barton
reliefOrganization American Red Cross
riverSystem Conemaugh River
Little Conemaugh River
linked to: Conemaugh River
speedOfFloodWave up to about 40 miles per hour
startDate 1889-05-31
timeToReachTown about 57 minutes after dam failure
waterSource Lake Conemaugh
waveHeight up to about 60 feet

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Referenced by (17)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Johnstown, Pennsylvania knownFor Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown, Pennsylvania significantEvent Johnstown Flood of 1889
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown, Pennsylvania significantEvent Johnstown Flood of 1936
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown, Pennsylvania significantEvent Johnstown Flood of 1977
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Cambria County hasHistoricEventAssociation Johnstown Floods
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Dorothy Cumming appearedInFilm The Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
David McCullough notableWork The Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Charles Guggenheim notableWork The Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Charles Guggenheim subjectOf The Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
History of Pennsylvania includesEvent Johnstown Flood of 1889
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Great Johnstown Flood of 1889 alsoKnownAs Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Great Johnstown Flood of 1889 alsoKnownAs Johnstown Flood of 1889
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown Flood Museum dedicatedTo 1889 Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown Inclined Plane builtAfter Johnstown Flood of 1889
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Johnstown Inclined Plane usedDuring Johnstown Flood of 1936
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Downtown Johnstown Historic District relatedToEvent Johnstown Flood of 1889
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889
Grandview Cemetery commemorates 1889 Johnstown Flood
linked to: Great Johnstown Flood of 1889