As of December 1, the Heritage Discovery Center/Johnstown Children’s Museum and Johnstown Flood Museum are on a winter opening hours schedule: we are OPEN Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays; and CLOSED Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Welcome!

News & Stories

Category Archive: Preservation and Special Projects

Virtual Railfan is a streaming platform that offers live views of trains all over the world – and now, its 30 million monthly users will be able to watch trains coming through Johnstown.

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Were you a steelworker? Do you or someone you love have a story about working in the steel mills of Johnstown? JAHA wants to hear it!

The momentous new exhibition “Forging a Nation: Johnstown Iron & Steel” is now open at …

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On September 7, 2023, a capacity crowd gathered at the Heritage Discovery Center to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Rosedale incident, in which Johnstown’s mayor ordered all Black people who hadn’t lived in Johnstown for at least seven years …

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The Young Preservationists Association (YPA) of Pittsburgh has recognized Richard Burkert, former president and CEO of JAHA, with its Preservationist of the Year Award!

“Richard Burkert recently stepped down as President and CEO of the Johnstown Area Heritage Association after 44 …

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This column by Chip Minemyer appeared in the September 24, 2023 edition of The Tribune-Democrat and is reproduced here with permission.

In April 1991, just two years after the Johnstown flood centennial and 12 years into Richard Burkert’s time in Johnstown, …

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The Johnstown Flood Museum’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in late May with two very special events: the screening of the newly-restored silent movie, “The Johnstown Flood,” at the State Theater on Sunday, May 28. Thanks to the generosity of Conway …

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The 1926 film “The Johnstown Flood” is a major achievement of the silent film era – and now, a newly-restored version of the film will have its premiere in Johnstown as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Johnstown …

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The Johnstown Area Heritage Association and The Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center today announced that the lights on the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center will coordinate with the Stone Bridge lights.

Dustin Greene of Top Dog Productions, which co-manages the Frank …

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August 10, 2022 1:58 pm

Remembering David McCullough

by Richard Burkert, JAHA president and CEO

I note with sadness the recent passing of David McCullough, whose book and career have greatly influenced the Johnstown community, my career and life.

Before I interviewed for the position of executive director of the …

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A deal to add a second daily round-trip passenger train through Johnstown was announced this week! The rail lines in Johnstown and Portage will be upgraded to make it possible for freight and passenger trains to switch tracks quickly and …

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