Johnstown Flood - Topics on Newspapers.com This dam was built to hold back Lake Conemaugh, and the dam was named the South Fork dam. A time line of the South Fork Dam: 1830s-Pennsylvania constructed the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh; the canal's Western Division had its eastern terminus at Johnstown. The roaring water was filled with debris, boulders and whole trees. South Fork Dam Facts for Kids - Kiddle Browse 42 SOUTH FORK DAM stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Between 1881 when the club was opened and 1889, this dam frequently sprang leaks and was patched, mostly with mud and straw. Making the wave even more terrifying was the black pall of smoke and steam that hung over itthe death mist remembered by survivors. SO he can make the road on the dam wider for his carriage to cross. When the initial renovation was completed under Ruff's oversight, it became impossible to drain the lake to repair the dam properly, having modified the dam and lake area it to suit its recreational interests. National Parks, Monuments & Historic Sites, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK). 1847-The half-completed South Fork Dam failed for the first time. On a cool May afternoon in 1889, the residents of Johnstown heard a thunderous roar as a man-made disaster swept through town. Credit: NPS/Harpers Ferry Center, Right image The SouthFork Dam, as it became known, experienced a catastrophic failure on May 31,1889 when it was overtoppedduring a large storm event. Built for the super rich of 1800s, the sporting club, catered to a very wealthy clientele from nearby Pittsburgh. The design engineer(s) should be involved in the construction phase of dam projects. "How Americas Most Powerful Men Caused Americas Deadliest Flood" by Erin Blakemore. A clubhouse with 47 rooms fronted the lake. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The South Fork Dam, as it became known, experienced a catastrophic failure on May 31, 1889 when it was overtopped during a large storm event. 2023 BygonelyPrivacy policyTerms of ServiceContact us. 1889-Sometime around 3:10, on the afternoon of May 31, the dam failed sending 20,000,000 tons or 3,600,000,000 gallons of water hurtling toward Johnstown. Over the years, some people worried about the72-foot-high earthen dam, one of the largest earthen dams in the world, causing one resident to remark: No one could see the immense height to which that artificial dam had been built without fearing the tremendous power of the water behind it., Others wondered and asked why the dam had not been strengthened, as it certainly had become weak, making Johnstown vulnerable.