[güttsfükk]

The South Fork Dam failed after heavy rain on May 31, 1889, releasing more than 20 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh into Pennsylvania's Conemaugh Valley. The flood wave reached Johnstown at 4:07 p.m., killing 2,209 people according to the official count and causing an estimated $17 million in property damage.

The photographs document the disaster and its aftermath across Johnstown, Woodvale and the surrounding valley. They show debris covering Main Street, the damaged Cambria Iron Works, wrecked train cars, body recovery operations and the debris jam at the stone bridge, where a fire broke out. Other views show the broken dam and emptied reservoir, relief tents, a Red Cross hotel and the Schultz house pierced by an uprooted tree. Pre-flood views include the intact dam, Lake Conemaugh and a club cottage. Later photographs show the Swank family graves and the Unknown Dead monument at Grandview Cemetery.

Also covered here: Photographic Time Line

[Sharon]

2,209 killed? That's atrocious The first image and it's story is amazing

[paingiver]

I grew up 20 minutes or so from were this happened. Went to the Johnstown Flood Museum for a class field trip. Such a huge tragedy.

[Norwegian1]

Wow, very interesting.. good pictures from the era as well

[PTSD Is My Life]

Awesome post I had never heard of this before, the loss of life was huge and the photos are tremendous!

[bigjoe]

Saw this on The Men Who Built America.

Henry Clay Frick wanted a road over a dam widened so his carriage can comfortably take him to his country club.

He got his road widened. It weakened the dam. The rest is history.

[Powerslide]

My home town. The interesting thing is this is only one of many floods in the town of Johnstown. 1911, 1936, and 1977 (also many more minor floods). The 77 flood also had loss of life, I cant say for the others...