Rainstorms moving through Nebraska and Kansas caused the waters around Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to rise sharply in the last days of May 1889. The decisive cause of the disaster was a dam on Lake Conemaugh that burst, suddenly and forcefully releasing the lake’s water into the valley. Within a few hours, the flood had claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people. The collapse was especially devastating due to technical changes made to the dam shortly before the flood, significantly weakening its effectiveness. In spite of this human intervention, the disaster was officially regarded as an “act of God.” One hundred years after the event a permanent exhibition about the flood was opened in Johnstown.
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Further Readings:
- Leather, Daniel. The Johnstown Flood, 1889. Hockessin: Mitchell Lane, 2008.
- McCullough, David. The Johnstown Flood. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.
- McGough, Michael R. The 1889 Flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Gettysburg: Thomas Publications, 2002.
Day:
31
Month:
5
Year:
1889