Johnstown, PA- A gritty gem in the hills

[MayDay]

Reminds me a little of Steubenville and East Liverpool in Ohio - some beautiful old gems (though in need of repair) but the same bleak feeling. Just wish there was a way to airlift some of those historic buildings into a healthier area.

[Ex-Ithacan]

Thanks for all the replies fellas. Glad you liked the tour.

@ MattofSV - thanks for the info, I didn't make it inside the train station.

@ MayDay - Gotta say the downtown area seemed more active than when I visited Steubenville and East Liverpool, but the bleak feeling is quite the same.

[AJW]

Amazing looking city; oozes classic Americana from every pore. Wonderful tour, thanks Ex-Ithacan. Love this building: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5332/1...fdba4d7e_b.jpg

[boden]

Always an interesting place to see photos of.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Possibly the most hopeless city in America... but fascinating urban fabric and topography to explore. There are so many weird gritty neighborhoods worming their way throughout the rugged hills and valleys of Greater Johnstown.

Interesting... We should go tour them sometime.



Great shots Ex-Ith. Really great bones there.... I somehow went to the Johnstown Flood Museum but I never actually went to the city. How did that happen? haha.

This building is extremely interesting. Never saw this shape before. (I also like the KFC/Home of Good Clothes (lol) high rise.)

[deja vu]

Nice photos.

If you ever go back, you can actually stay at the house of the founder, Joseph Schantz, which is now a functioning dairy farm and bed and breakfast. The owners are very interesting people who know a lot about the history of the area. In college I stayed there once on a Spring Break during a blizzard while all my friends went to Florida. Best Spring Break of my life and very affordable. I agree with your comment regarding the locals; in general those I spoke with are optimistic, and why shouldn't they be? Nothing stays the same forever.

http://www.schantzhaus.com/

You also shouldn't miss South Fork, the area where the catastrophic 1889 flood began. Some of the original South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club buildings, frequented by Carnegie and the like, still live on there, along what would have been the edge of the lake, pre-dam destruction.

Grave's Crown America Building in downtown is awkward. His firm also designed the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center at Johnstown's UPitt campus, which is slightly better in my opinion:

[kcexpress69]

Wow!! Such a sad state for a city, but an awesome building stock!! Hopefully a rebound is in order!! Thanks for sharing the photos!!

[Ex-Ithacan]

Thanks for the comments guys.

@ deja vu, my stepfather and I visited the Flood Museum at the flood source some years back. It was a heart breaking story and sadly a totally avoidable catastrophe.

[mSeattle]

Well built city. It deserves better days again.