Johnstown Flood National Memorial - Pennsylvania

Located in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, established in 1964, commemorates the Great Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889, and preserves the remains of the South Fork Dam.

After a night of unprecedented rainfall, one of the world's largest earthen dams collapsed, sending a wall of water over sixty feet high into the Little Conemaugh River valley. For nearly ten years, the South Fork Dam held back the majestic waters of Conemaugh Lake.

By most accounts, the dam failed at 3:10 in the afternoon. An hour later, the Flood reached Johnstown, 14 miles downstream. Along the way, the Flood destroyed almost everything in its path, causing more than $17 million in property damage.

For months, the Conemaugh Valley counted its dead. The death toll of the Flood would be set at 2,209, although it forever remained uncertain just how many were killed on that Black Friday.

Today, visitors to Johnstown Flood National Memorial can stand inches away from where the dam failed and reflect on the awful events of that day. Visitors can gain an appreciation of the historic scene of both before and after the breaking of the South Fork Dam. In the distance, visitors can also see the surviving buildings of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club