Johnstown presents a compelling case for itself as a city that was thrice ravaged by floods and still accounted for spearheading an industrial revolution at the turn of 20th century. This American city is situated in Cambria County in the state of Pennsylvania and is considered a gleaming bubble wrap of distinct European cultures (German, Irish, Italian, Slovak, English and Polish) because of immigrants who had come here during 1900s. It is immortalized in numerous classic documentaries, movies and fictional novels. Some highlights here include a 19th century the Johnstown Inclined Plane (also known as steepest vehicular inclined plane in the world) and the Staple Bend Tunnel (the first railroad tunnel constructed in the country).
Johnstown Flood MuseumOn 31 May 1889, a dam above the city of Johnstown burst and the flooding waters ripped through the city walls, thereby killing 2209 people and leaving several others homeless. The Johnstown Flood Museum offers a chronological order of that horrible accident through relief maps, audio-visual exhibits, artifacts, news reports and Victorian Steroptic photographs. Also of note here is a restored house that was temporarily used to keep survivors.
Johnstown Inclined PlaneRecorded in the Guinness Book as the world's steepest vehicular inclined plane, the Johnstown Inclined Plane is an 896.5-foot funicular in Johnstown. It was built as an escape route for future floods in 1891. The incline and its two stations connect Johnstown to the borough of Westmont on Yoder Hill. The Johnstown Inclined Plane carries passengers and automobiles with a grade of 70.9%, and the travel time between two stations is about 90 seconds.
Heritage Discovery Center (or the Frank & Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discovery Center)Johnstown’s Heritage Discovery Center features exhibits and galleries focusing on city’s history and culture. Two of the best galleries here are ‘America: Through Immigrant Eyes’ (that relates to the progressive struggle of European immigrants who had arrived here in late 19th centuries) and the ‘Iron & Steel Gallery’ (that focuses on the city’s steel industry). You can also visit the Johnstown Children's Museum on the third floor of the Heritage Discovery Center.