Johnstown, city in Cambria County, in south-central Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Conemaugh River and Stonycreek. The city was once an important iron and steel center. Its manufactures include chemicals, mining and railroad equipment, and clothing. Although iron and steel are still manufactured here, the city's diversified economy relies more heavily on health care and other service industries. The Johnstown Flood Museum and the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Campus (1927) are in the city. Also of interest is the Inclined Plane Railway (built 1891), which rises about 150 m (about 500 ft) at a grade of 71.9 percent; it is said to be one of the steepest passenger funiculars in the United States.
The community, settled in the 1790s by a Swiss immigrant, Joseph Schantz (Johns), was known as Conemaugh until 1834, when it was renamed for Johns. In the same year it became a rail terminus, and its iron and steel industry developed in the 1860s. Johnstown was incorporated in 1889. Located in a deep, narrow valley, Johnstown has been subject to several major floods, the most damaging on May 31, 1889, when the South Fork Dam broke; a wall of water 0.81 km (0.5 mi) wide and about 23 m (about 75 ft) high descended on Johnstown, killing 2209 people. Two other major floods, taking lives and causing much damage, occurred in 1936 and 1977. Property losses in 1977 were estimated at U.S.$200 million. Population 35,496 (1980); 28,134 (1990); 23,906 (2000).
