JAHA's current capital campaign, "Preserving Our Heritage: Revitalizing Our Community," will raise $8.05 million for the Johnstown Children's Museum and other JAHA projects, including the "Mystery of Steel" Theater, Festival Park, and more. Check this site often for updates on this campaign.

Preserving Our Heritage: Revitalizing Our Community
Updated March 18, 2008 Preserving Our Heritage: Revitalizing Our Community The Campaign for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association Downloadable pledge card available here; online donation page available here; visit the 1889 Society page of this website for information about joining the 1889 Society. Visit the Construction Update page on the Johnstown Children's Museum section of jaha.org to see the progress on the Johnstown Children's Museum and other construction at the Heritage Discovery Center. The steel mills are long gone -- but the buildings remain, silent reminders of the days when Johnstown was a nationally important iron and steel-making center. The industry drove Johnstown's economy for almost 150 years. But steelmaking will not come back to Johnstown. Instead, the city has sought to grow its economy by drawing new enterprises and making it attractive for existing operations to expand. Through the cooperative efforts of government and the private sector, Johnstown has initiated a series of public/private partnerships to reach toward this goal. The City is at a moment when it can redefine itself.
JAHA is playing a key role in the region's efforts to take advantage of the economic benefits offered by community investments that support quality of life. JAHA has focused on the development of the Johnstown Discovery Network -- a system of themed history museums, historic districts and sites, and an interpretive trail that will market and package the city as a visitor destination, providing a complete experience of the themes of historic Johnstown. Some have viewed the project's goal as the creation of a "workingman's Williamsburg," allowing visitors and residents alike the opportunity to experience and understand early industrial America. Some of the components of the Johnstown Discovery Network are already in place, while others are being completed as part of this campaign. The Johnstown Discovery Network includes: The Johnstown Flood Museum Two National Historic Districts: Cambria City and Downtown Johnstown The Frank & Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discovery Center The Wagner-Ritter House & Garden The Inclined Plane The Johnstown Children's Museum The "Mystery of Steel" Theatre and Exhibit Festival Park The Cambria Iron Blacksmith Shop The Johnstown Greenway Trail
Working in concert with the public and private sectors, JAHA's fundraising campaign goal is not simply to "preserve our heritage," but to "revitalize our community." Ultimately, the goal is to make Johnstown a cultural tourism destination -- a "place to go" -- while enhancing the quality of life for current and future residents.
The campaign is divided into three parts, as follows: 1. Johnstown Children's Museum Completion of the Heritage Discovery Center building: $4,150,000 Endowment for the Johnstown Children's Museum: $1,000,000 TOTAL: $5,150,000 Included in this part of the project: Johnstown Children's Museum The "Mystery of Steel" theatre, featuring a unique film that uses footage taken prior to the close of the Bethlehem mills, as well as exhibits about steelmaking; to open in 2008 Classroom space A rooftop terrace and cafe Renovation of office space 2. Development of Festival Park/FolkFest Endowment Phase I of Festival Park development: $1,200,000 Endowment for FolkFest program: $1,000,000 TOTAL: $2,200,000 Included in this part of the project: Development of a large pavilion Permanent landscaping of site Restrooms and improved access to utilities Endowment for FolkFest program 3. Upgrading and Renovation of Johnstown Flood Museum TOTAL: $700,000 Included in this part of the project: Exhibit enhancements, including the addition of new artifacts. This will include some of the collection of the Rev. David Beale, an eyewitness to the flood and a key figure in the recovery effort; this important collection was acquired by JAHA in 2006 Updates of media technology, including digitization of the animated map, Academy Award-winning film and video exhibits Replacement of building maintenance systems, including the HVAC system Renovation of museum's theatre TOTAL CAMPAIGN: $8,050,000 TOTAL RAISED AS OF MARCH 18, 2008: $7,165,929 (89%). Amount remaining to goal: $889,070
The campaign is chaired by Mark Pasquerilla and Attorney Ron Carnevali. Click here for a downloadable pledge card. For more information about the campaign, contact JAHA Development Director Patti Genovese at 814-539-1889 ext. 309.