The Johnstown Area Heritage Association often receives inquiries from researchers investigating their families’ genealogy, but our archives are not rich in this type of material.
Here is a list of area resources that may be helpful for those researching genealogy in the Johnstown area:
The Johnstown Area Genealogical & Historical Society — The society focuses on Johnstown and Cambria County, and its print and computer records are located at the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Johnstown. The society’s website includes a surname list, links to research databases and additional resources.
Cambria County Historical Society — Based in Ebensburg, the society’s research library includes town histories, surname files, obituary/marriage indexes, and more.
Cambria County Library Reference & Genealogy Services — This fantastic resource (which has been greatly expanded recently) offers available digitized records of births, marriages, obituaries and death records, veterans graves, naturalizations, and cemeteries, compiled from microfilm by volunteers and downloadable in PDF format. Copies of some records are also available for a small fee.
Cambria Memory Project — Affiliated with Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, this site provides online access to a variety of collections and databases, including the African-American Heritage Collection, Beth Sholom Synagogue Collection, and a Records Collection with Cambria County immigration records, business license information, and much more.
Grandview Cemetery — Grandview was founded just a few years before the 1889 flood. It is the final resting place for many flood victims, and is still an active cemetery with more than 12 miles of roads winding through its grounds. The website allows you to search interments by name, and will provide the exact location of the individual’s gravesite. A walking tour is also published on the site.