Johnstown Flood Museum Plans $3.45M Upgrade

The Johnstown Flood Museum is planning $3.45 million worth of upgrades because officials say its exhibits haven’t been updated since the centennial of the great 1889 flood 25 years ago.

The Pennsylvania museum has hired Springboard Design of Pittsburgh to develop more interactive designs for the museum in this city 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.

The announcement comes as the city and museum prepare for the 1889 flood’s 125th anniversary on May 31.

That flood largely destroyed the city, killing more than 2,200 people – including 99 entire families.

The city has had two severe floods since.

On St. Patrick’s Day 1936, 25 died and 9,000 were left homeless. On July 19-20, 1977, overnight storms dumped more than 11 inches of rain on the city, killing 77, plus eight presumed dead whose bodies were never found.