jtowngrandview

THE GREAT JOHNSTOWN FLOOD OF 1889

PAGE NINE: GRANDVIEW CEMETERY AND THE CONEMAUGH GAP

This cemetery, only begun in the mid-1880's, lies atop the high ridge west of Johnstown that the incline goes up. Here on

May 31, 1992, three years after the flood, they had the dedication of this plot of 777 graves of unknown victims. Many

had been buried down in the valley in shallow, quickly-dug graves and were moved up here. Horace Rose was mayor and

at the dedication, which was attended by some 10,000 people. The memorial statue is the one at the upper left.

The stones are all alike, all blank. Some here and there are not sunk quite as deeply into the ground and so look taller.

I liked this huge old evergreen just to the left of the unknown plot and walked over to have a closer look, saving a cone from it.

I like the statuary found in old cemeteries and had there been more time and had I not been practically crawling on all fours

by now, would have enjoyed exploring. This one was right across from the unknown plot.

Back down the ridge, we headed out of Johnstown back toward Pittsburgh. I took this last shot of the stone bridge

out my side window.

Here we are on 56 entering the Conemaugh Gap, the deepest gap east of the Mississippi. It is through here

that the Pennsylvania Railway laid its tracks. 56 is much higher up the side of the ridge than the tracks, which

run closer to the Conemaugh River down to the right.

A look over point near Sang Hollow in the gap. Carl and I stopped here last October when we'd been out letting

me take pictures of autumn leaves. HERE

Melanie signing the guest book at the look over.

I took almost this same shot on October 18, 2009. We'd had lunch in Johnstown but not done the flood stuff that time.

A, um, somewhat overly red-white-and-blued plaque.

Above and below, the west side of the gap taken in May and in October.

BACK TO THE WATERS (Jo's story set during the flood)