My 4th great grandfathers brother Silas B. Shomo died at the age of 29 in Camp Sumter as a POW in 1865 at the age of 29. His grandson Frank Shomo was the last living survivor of the Johnstown flood who died in 1997 at the age of 108.
Thank you for your comment. Those of us out in the RUclips land find your type of information very interesting. Most of us wouldn’t have any idea about your ancestors.
What a sobering film. The scale of the tragedy is overwhelming. I think of the rescue and reclamation efforts, all without modern lifting equipment, and mired in mud and filth. How the area ever recovered is a testament to human fortitude.
I read about the disaster at Johnstown, Pennsylvania and all the other towns that were wiped out from the lake. My God. Horrible. It was a miracle anyone survived.
I live not far from Johnstown Pennsylvania. Visited the museum several times and am always brought to tears thinking about how all those helpless, innocent people lost everything; family/loved ones, their homes, pets, EVERYTHING!! So heartbreaking...😞😢 I highly recommend visiting the museum if you're in the area! Well worth it! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Loved this documentary! Keep up the AMAZING work!!! Best of health to the crew working hard on this channel and everyone in the comments plus your loved ones! ✌🏻🥰🤰🏼💙🤗🤘🏻
I'm from northeast Ohio right on Lake Erie. I travel on motorcycle to Johnstown every year for 5 years now. Went for Thunder in the Valley. Now I go out of fascination. Been to Grandview Cemetery too. Remarkable
@@tomgavelda6978 Glad to have you each year. Go to Richland Cemetery if you haven't been there. It's not necessarily flood-related, but the views of the mountains from different spots in this cemetery are breathtaking. Sunsets here can be stunning.
My grandfather was a boy living there. The family would move on to Latrobe. Other towns, too, had dams and artifical lakes. Before the railroads business used the rivers for transport of goods. Some dams were created to control water levels for the barges and boats carrying goods. Often there were trolley cars to the lakes for residents who enjoyed swimming while the rich sailed. Even merri-go-rounds and ice cream. These other towns took warning from the Johnstown disaster.
I have read about the disaster, and those poor people had so little time to react, it was a terrible thing. I would love to visit the place and the museum to learn more... maybe someday!
My man and I just got back from a weekend in Johnstown specifically to learn about the flood events, as we are disaster buffs. This is the best documentary about The Flood I’ve seen yet on RUclips! Thank you! The last 3rd of the film…WOW. I shared this one with everyone of interest. I do agree with the one comment that not enough was addressed in this film of those who were not held responsible and should have been in most ’s opinions.
This is pretty good, though I don't care a lot for the reenactments. American Experience also has an outstanding documentary about this disaster, with more coverage of the club and the areas current (1980s?) status.
I've seen the othe good doc too. I do think it better. but what I learned here was more about the damage especially the fire at the bridge. maybe the other doc had that but I don't remember.
WOW!!! Very well done... The fact that the wealthy people from Pittsburgh were not mentioned who purchased the dam and had the breast made higher to increase the water level for their own enjoyment should have been mentioned. Henry Clay Frick was only 1 of many Pittsburgh wealthy men who had a hand in this disaster. None of them were ever held accountable for anything......
I have 7 ancestors that died in the flood. Last name of Layton, including an infant that was never found. Ella Layton was the first victim to be identified. If you go to the Johnstown Flood National Memorial and watch the film there, it lists Ella Layton at the end. I had it confirmed by one of the staff, who has the Flood Victims book, that she indeed was the first flood victim. I still live in Johnstown to this day. I visit the old South Fork Dam remains very often. To reflect and remember what had happened and thinking about all the "what ifs".
This is a haunting visual reminder of that tragedy. The first time I saw the documentary on video tape I was transfixed by the story. The buildup to the final destructive flooding was surreal and heart- rending.
That was the most heart wrenching documentary I have ever seen. In the past I saw a couple of others that were so matter of fact I thought them insulting to these peoples memory and struggle to overcome this most traumatic event. Thank you for bringing it to us.
Wow! The narrator, illustration, & reenactment all told of a tragic, yet well done story. Heard of the incident over the years, but to put it in this very perspective, is just mind blowing! Thank you!!
I think it's because The Titanic has had a lot of myths and misinformation built up around it and has been held forward in the public consciousness a lot more effectively. It also changed a lot about the way shipping and distress calls were handled, as memory serves and so it had a greater impact. The Johnstown flood, like so many other incidents, was just another example of carelessness leading to death with no real change as a result.
This documentary totally brushed aside the culpability of the fatcats whose folly at the fishing club destroyed the lives and property of all those innocent people.
Also, I wish this documentary had given much more time and detail about the recovery effort. David Mccullough's book about the flood has some really good content about the recovery and so interesting. This documentary missed an opportunity here.
@@Sparky0566 There was an excellent documentary on the Flood I saw years ago - it might have been on “The American Experience” on PBS-and it gave a lot more detail about the super-wealthy families that were members of the “Fishing Club, and their cottages, and the background behind the property. What sounds so quaint was actually a bunch of big, amazing, multistory waterfront Victorian houses, and maybe even a fancy hotel(?). The Robber Baron owners truly did not give a damn about the dam. There had been a number of leaks reported in the years before, and they had been warned that repairs were needed. And after the devastation, NONE of them were held liable due to some backroom legal shenanigans. Greed, apathy, and neglect caused all that death and misery. I have no problem with someone earning a bunch of money if done honestly, but if something you build can or will put other people’s lives, property or the local environment in harms way, I find that to be especially despicable.
This is my hometown. I’ve heard this story so much. There was even a dog who jumped in and saved people that had a statue. Also my great uncle has written a book on this called the bosses club
Hear Hear the wannabe dictators greedy nonscientific trash with tons of money who manipulate the easily brainwashed who are into idolatry and don't know it of men and weapons. Weapons are tools not tinker toys like the hysterical right project. They have been manipulated by the unknown millionaire billionaire daytraders. Not the wealthy that give jobs. It is the scavengers they do not want to pay for a thing zero taxes too hence the outsourcing pushing profits to the brink ....of what soon. Defunding schools since Reagan Bush. The x president did nothing new he did jrs. Playbook Jr didn't pay the UN either... they manipulated Ted turner he paid the bill... the Iran contra affair lying in don't recall north neoconservatives their weapons as Reagan I suspect manipulated too. Our government some make it seem they are playing a game politics are not q football game now I suspect the extreme right infiltrated even saying they were or there are still old states rights democrates and also now because post civil rights the dixiecrats flipped and became Republicans hence polluting that party too so states rights both party racist white supremist. So now both could be extremely right. Lots of blockings..trashy whites..... They are stealing our rights. They are going to cause another 50 years of fossil fuels...when I was a child 50 years ago the big oil took over we were going biodegradable then in the 60s....will we have a planet in 50 years will be able to breathe with all the holes in the atmosphere? ....the Australians are decades ahead of us in alternative. Alternative would bring back the middle class. For some reason they wealthy ignorant low IQ justice and WANNBE anti- american pro russians trump pompeo want alcoholics addicts big pharma.. no vaccines no mask dependent and dead. Zero progression. STAGNET STENCH. Bizarre. Maybe they want migration too. Or maybe they are all just white supremist who are greedy wannabe dictators. CONTROLLING!
That has happened in all walks of life and in every level of society since man has walked the planet. It's not exclusive to "the rich" or any one group of people.
This can hardly be called a documentary, but where it comes up short in information, it more than makes up in pathos and grand drama. It's realistic portrayal of individuals caught up in one of the greatest disasters in America makes one feel as if they themselves stood on the mountains observing the horror with their own eyes.
I've watched a lot of videos like this ...... but ...... this one broke me. It's was bad enough that the dam broke, and then the debris got caught up ....... but .... then the fire. I lost it. 😨😰😭
I remember reading a book in the library as a kid about the Johnstown Flood. I had picked it out myself and somehow the librarian thought I was from another grade group because when my third grade teacher found out I was reading about this horrible disaster that it happened she almost had a heart attack. It was considered especially this writing I guess and years later I went back to read it and went yeah that was pretty filled with gruesomeness I'd found in the high school really watered-down versions compared to what I red in elementary school but I wasn't supposed to be checking that one out in 3rd grade. One thing I took from that story all my life after having survived many major disasters that my parents line of work got us into I ended up I guess you could say becoming and action or disaster action junkie for the movies and I'll always tear them apart because I'll know that just like in the Johnstown Flood it'll never come out so nice as you see in the movies. I can say that we were always safe even if we were trapped 2 weeks behind any access unless it was via helicopter for delivery of food and water or the houses falling around us because of an earthquake Etc but we always felt we were safe because we knew what to do in regards to natural disasters. We learned quick that if people said it's going to flood you go to Higher Ground or away from whatever is going to break.. The only one I didn't know how to handle was the Twin Towers period in all my years growing up nor being an adult even working in emergency situations I had never experienced that type but I could only Harkin it back to the Johnstown Flood where I remembered the people had simply got on with life. I think that is the greatest lesson we can get from this. As I watch younger Generations cry because they feel they are owed something I can't figure out where they got that because reality doesn't teach that at all and they want to have such realistic lives but even their Adventures are safe and cushion guided tours that I could never have afforded at their age I was supporting myself and putting myself through school without getting myself into debt, didn't own a car couldn't rent my own apartment, but I have more education several degrees worth culminating in five different careers and yet I feel I haven't even caught my stride yet. No my life is not perfect I've struggle with depression especially after I was left disabled in my early thirties I have it clinically but that's not going to stop me I've had great tragedies in my life it's not going to keep me from enjoying life and no I have not fulfilled some of the greatest dreams I had as the timing wasn't right or the opportunity passed me by or the loved one died 2 weeks before the wedding yeah sometimes you just don't get that Brass Ring but that's why life is a lesson and I think people in the past they understood that more. They weren't fed false promises buy a media that couldn't have cared less about them they just figured if I can survive that's great period if I'm successful doing better than anybody thought I would that's great. When you look at the lives of the Great show men or multi-millionaire Blue Bloods of the past they didn't have happy lives it was very rare and very hard for them to obtain. They could push a little money to assuage their sins or just never come back to Johnstown but the men who created the disaster went down in history as cruel and uncaring people.
So your point is that you are a hero because you suffered so much yet say you managed to be highly educated but still did nothing useful with it because of something that happened that could not possibly have been your own fault. and all the kids today are greedy and entitled even though their parent and grandparents polluted and destroyed the earth to such a degree that the survival of those same greedy kids is almost impossible? Or was that whole blurb just you looking for some sort of sympathy or a gold metal that you were so smart to want to read such a book at a young age? Really, what is your point other than to hoist yourself up and degrade others? Shameful. Write a book. Don't post on RUclips for these selfish reasons. This film is not about you.
My relatives lived there. In 1969 I visited my family for the first and only time.they made sure that I learned everything that I wanted to know.they pulled out the photo albums.they were finding bodies for years, between the drowning victims and corpses washed out of the cemeteries,60 years later I can still see those pictures and the stories of the survivors
That's my hometown and still live here, the flood I was in was 1977 , I had to get stitches that day from debris, seeing dead and hurt people was terrible
My great great grandfather lost his first wife and 2 young daughters while he was at work. I cannot imagine what any of these victims had went through that day.
This documentation told of human tragedy. It seems as if it's purpose was just to focus on the victims themselves and not to place blame. That's why I have enjoyed watching it .Sometimes the people themselves get lost amongst the blaming of those who are responsible. I watch enough documentation to know who was at fault. I just want to know about those lost. Who they were as much as possible, and their story. So for this much that you've shared , I thank you.
This needs to be talked about more. I was 9 years old in 1989 and I don't remember hearing about this. Throughout my adulthood I have never heard about it...until now. Thank you for posting this. ☮
@@Yosetime Moonewich was probably think that you'd have heard more about this disaster in 1989 since that was the 100 years anniversary of the dam's failure.
While researching my family tree, unfortunately I believe several on my paternal gradfathers family was lost on this flood. It broke my heart seeing how many with the same last name were never found. RIP all that perished.
This tragedy created one of the biggest tennents of our laws that we take for granted today and at times is abused: liability. Until Johnstown, our laws had no provisions to sue for liability. The wealthy fat cats escaped and the case that WAS brought against the men who ignored warnings of danger - were never brought to justice. Today this would have been egregious. At the time there was no such thing as liability. In reality, the massive loss of life began the long road to many laws, engineering requirements, mandatory inspections and regulations that today secure the dams we do need for our water supply. Sadly anyone IS above a law that does not exist. God Bless the victims.
My first husband had relatives who passed away in the flood. I didn't know this until long after I divorced him. David McCullough wrote a riveting book, chronicling this disaster. At the end of the book is a list of the victims and that's where I saw my ex-husband's last name.
Name the names. Andrew Carnegie for one! Read David McCollough’s book on the Johnston Flood. Better than any video I’ve seen. My great aunt Sophia was in the second John’s own flood and that incline there saved her life.
What a cool documentary! I’ve learned a lot about this disaster in the last 4yrs since I’ve lived in PA so seeing this was kind of a treat in a way. Like someone else in the comments said this put the spotlight on the victims and gave insight from their point of view, more than on the reasons that led to it, which is a nice change of pace.
Love the dramatic documentary format. HATE the volume -- whispers so soft I needed to increase the volume 4-to 5 clicks while Booming Lud portions were so earsplitting I hit mute. Geez, people! This is so easy to produce and this much later fix.
Like Matt Kustom Kostumes' comment below, I noticed the rich elite who had responsibility of the dam and their willful failures were never mentioned in this "documentary". I'm ashamed of them. Also, over 400 family lines were wiped out with no survivors. As a Pennsylvanian, those points are very relavent and mean so much to me. So why were these pertinent points never mentioned in this "documentary".
The curse of May 31 falling on a Friday. This was the worst incident, but I can't help but remember some of the other incidents: the 1985 tornado outbreak, the microburst that destroyed the Whip at Kennywood.
A fiction novel -Julie- by Catherine Marshall gives a very good representation of what life was like around the town, the steelworks & the resort as well as the causes of the flood.
Not only people died during this flood, Rich people who thought they know it all, these RICH people who ruin the peaceful town didn't even help the people. Didn't even help the town. With all their MONEY, they didn't do NOTHING!
Their lives were never rid of the guilt. They built the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University and Carnegie Hall. They kept giving their money away. Philanthropists.
What in the world are you talking about? Were you there back in 1889? Exactly who are these rich people who stood by and watched? Your notion is ridiculous
@@Vicki1951 Ya know I even watched a documentary on Hinze 57 that makes condiments like ketchup an loved it lol. I'll watch a documentary on just about anything
Are you referring to a series of books by John Jakes by any chance? I believe that was called the Americans. I read the series but I don't remember anything about the Johnstown flood so I will have to go back and look for that. I love that series in the 1970s!
I hate! hate May 31st! I live in Southwestern Pennsylvania and May 31st has a history of severe weather. May 31sts that stick in my mind 1985, 1998, 2002. The local meteorologists go on watch starting in the week leading up and bring on extra people on May 31st.
@@aprilrichards762 yes. El Reno. Moore has been hit by 2 EF 5 tornadoes. Plus multiple other tornadoes. Almost had one here yesterday, but circulation died just before reaching the city.
My family has lived in johnstown for hundreds of years, on my mom's side of my family I believe, my great great great great grand father was the owner of the famous house that was on its side and impailed by a tree. But since my mom's heritage is just built different my grand father still lives here and owns shultz bros beer distributor
I first learned of Johnstown Flood from a assigned book in 5th grade through who else but, Houghton Mifflin The Terrible Wave a storyline regarding The Flood through the perspective of a teenage girl and teenage boy. It was based of course on the Johnstown Flood of 1889. See I was confused by the name Johnstown due to me being born in California, it was 3 year's from the Time Jim Jones in Guyana had transpired. I was 11 years old when I first heard of the infamous Jonestown, in Guyana. So when I read about the Terrible Flood and saw Johnstown I kept asking my teacher I don't understand where is Jim Jones there's no mention of him in here. My poor class mates at the time hadn't yet heard of Jim Jones and The Kool Aid my growth as a Christian meant mom assumed the responsibility to teach me about false prophet's and pretend Christians like Jim Jones. Today, I do know the difference between Johnstown, Flood in Pennsylvania 1889, and Jim Jonestown in Guyana, 1978. Has anyone else out there ever did something similar pertaining to Subject Matters or Topics in History?
I have. But I have to say, my 5th grade book assignment, here in Canada, was Lord of the Flies. It terrified the begeegee's out of me for months!! When it came time to put together the book report for school I told my teacher to go pound sand! I wasn't going to finish that wretched book nor write about it! I don't recall anything else about 5th grade past the look on his face as I defiantly refused to comply. I figured then, and still do, that if I am going to be disturbed for months about anything it should be about something of historical and educational value. Not some bizarre fictional nonsense. To this day I watch true documentaries almost exclusively. I so wish I could relive that moment again! I did learn of the KoolAid thing many, many years later. And wondered WTH? People do that? These days, we learn about Indian Residential School atrocities. And can't believe it was still going on even as I was growing up. Nobody wrote books about it or taught us about it at school. They really should have. We'd be alot further ahead now.
@@Yosetime I did believe that America was the only place to have those insufferable Indian School's teaching children not too be quote Indian's. I never dreamed that Indian School's were in Canada until I took a Online Native American Children's Library Class; The Class assigned this Book about a young girl that had to by Canadian law attend those Indian School's. The damage done by those School's are outrageous.
@@Yosetime I have experienced the same fearful feelings after watching a movie or reading a book that kids probably shouldn’t have been allowed to. But, I was born in 1951 which was way before movies, books and other types of entertainment was labeled age appropriate. I can still recall some of them and what I felt at the time.
Yeah I a little about 40 miles from Georgetown and I've been there many Johnstown I've been there many times and been to the damn it's just horrific I I read about it I read all kinds of things about ITIT's just terrible
This video is pretty melodramatic, and the enactors leave something to be desired. American Experience has a better video of this event, if it's still available here.
Could you please tell me the name of the book you read? I’m sure there’s more than one. I’m also interested In documentary about a flood at Rapid City, SD or maybe Estes Park, CO. I read an article about the flood many years ago but can’t remember which of those 2 places it happened. I will research on my own too. 😊
Maybe he was just getting the jewelry from family’s dead family members to give to the families who lost their loved ones and the vigilance comity didn’t even care
Even though several people got together to sue the fat cats for compensation none was won. Very few won anything from the men that were some of the richest in the world, so sad!
The 10 ft. design depth had to be monitored every season. Who designed the cross section must have left drawing with County Engineer ? Sort of similar to bridge inspection ?
Very good content, illustrations, re-enactments. Impressed that they got Richard Dreyfuss to narrate, but...How does an actor not understand maintaining volume? He practically shouts the first few words of every sentence, and every sentence ends practically whispered. Fortunately I had subtitles turned on.
@@dandiedinmont8964 In acting school they teach you to project and maintain volume. Imagine this type of technique on stage. It's all good, just hard for me to follow.
I'm often confused as to why nobody talks about the Johnstown flood that occurred in the 70s???? That if I remember correctly was pretty devastating too? I remember visiting there as a kid after the flood, and it was awful. I had family there and I remember what it was like before and after the flood. Does anyone know if these were the same areas? I know it was near Indiana PA, and a borough call Penn Run. I'm sure it was.
That actually was pretty funny. Cause any horse free to roam at that time would be standing high up in the mountains. Alive and proud to be so. No cowardice in sight! lol
Prolly lots a bones scattered, and buried along creek and River beds in the valleys..By now, they would be exposed and found by people, thinkin they were other animal bones..
My 4th great grandfathers brother Silas B. Shomo died at the age of 29 in Camp Sumter as a POW in 1865 at the age of 29. His grandson Frank Shomo was the last living survivor of the Johnstown flood who died in 1997 at the age of 108.
Wow! That's amazing. I bet he had great stories! Good for him.
Thank you for your comment. Those of us out in the RUclips land find your type of information very interesting. Most of us wouldn’t have any idea about your ancestors.
Thank you for sharing this with us. Very much appreciated by us history lovers. By any chance, did he or anyone else ever record his memories?
@@RamblinJer he put it all in the cloud.
What a sobering film. The scale of the tragedy is overwhelming. I think of the rescue and reclamation efforts, all without modern lifting equipment, and mired in mud and filth. How the area ever recovered is a testament to human fortitude.
I read about the disaster at Johnstown, Pennsylvania and all the other towns that were wiped out from the lake. My God. Horrible. It was a miracle anyone survived.
I live not far from Johnstown Pennsylvania. Visited the museum several times and am always brought to tears thinking about how all those helpless, innocent people lost everything; family/loved ones, their homes, pets, EVERYTHING!! So heartbreaking...😞😢 I highly recommend visiting the museum if you're in the area! Well worth it! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Loved this documentary! Keep up the AMAZING work!!! Best of health to the crew working hard on this channel and everyone in the comments plus your loved ones! ✌🏻🥰🤰🏼💙🤗🤘🏻
Well said!!❤👍🏻
I'm from northeast Ohio right on Lake Erie. I travel on motorcycle to Johnstown every year for 5 years now.
Went for Thunder in the Valley. Now I go out of fascination. Been to Grandview Cemetery too. Remarkable
@@tomgavelda6978 Glad to have you each year. Go to Richland Cemetery if you haven't been there. It's not necessarily flood-related, but the views of the mountains from different spots in this cemetery are breathtaking. Sunsets here can be stunning.
My grandfather was a boy living there. The family would move on to Latrobe. Other towns, too, had dams and artifical lakes. Before the railroads business used the rivers for transport of goods. Some dams were created to control water levels for the barges and boats carrying goods. Often there were trolley cars to the lakes for residents who enjoyed swimming while the rich sailed. Even merri-go-rounds and ice cream. These other towns took warning from the Johnstown disaster.
I have read about the disaster, and those poor people had so little time to react, it was a terrible thing. I would love to visit the place and the museum to learn more... maybe someday!
My man and I just got back from a weekend in Johnstown specifically to learn about the flood events, as we are disaster buffs. This is the best documentary about The Flood I’ve seen yet on RUclips! Thank you! The last 3rd of the film…WOW. I shared this one with everyone of interest. I do agree with the one comment that not enough was addressed in this film of those who were not held responsible and should have been in most ’s opinions.
This is pretty good, though I don't care a lot for the reenactments. American Experience also has an outstanding documentary about this disaster, with more coverage of the club and the areas current (1980s?) status.
The American Experience episode is much better and comprehensive. This video totally glosses over the background and reason for the flood: greed.
I've seen the othe good doc too. I do think it better. but what I learned here was more about the damage especially the fire at the bridge. maybe the other doc had that but I don't remember.
WOW!!! Very well done... The fact that the wealthy people from Pittsburgh were not mentioned who purchased the dam and had the breast made higher to increase the water level for their own enjoyment should have been mentioned. Henry Clay Frick was only 1 of many Pittsburgh wealthy men who had a hand in this disaster. None of them were ever held accountable for anything......
The breast was made lower, not higher to allow carriages to pass. Either way, that mud, rock and straw. was saturated and breaking regardless.
greed...
Unfortunately the rich are very seldom held to account. As the saying goes, money talks.
I have 7 ancestors that died in the flood. Last name of Layton, including an infant that was never found. Ella Layton was the first victim to be identified. If you go to the Johnstown Flood National Memorial and watch the film there, it lists Ella Layton at the end. I had it confirmed by one of the staff, who has the Flood Victims book, that she indeed was the first flood victim.
I still live in Johnstown to this day. I visit the old South Fork Dam remains very often. To reflect and remember what had happened and thinking about all the "what ifs".
This is a haunting visual reminder of that tragedy. The first time I saw the documentary on video tape I was transfixed by the story. The buildup to the final destructive flooding was surreal and heart- rending.
That was the most heart wrenching documentary I have ever seen. In the past I saw a couple of others that were so matter of fact I thought them insulting to these peoples memory and struggle to overcome this most traumatic event. Thank you for bringing it to us.
Wow! The narrator, illustration, & reenactment all told of a tragic, yet well done story.
Heard of the incident over the years, but to put it in this very perspective, is just mind blowing! Thank you!!
The narrator is Richard Dreyfuss
My great grandfather survived this flood. His father, my namesake, did not.
I find it surprising that this epic tragedy hasn't captured the world's imagination the way the Titanic has.
I was thinking that same thought.
I think it's because The Titanic has had a lot of myths and misinformation built up around it and has been held forward in the public consciousness a lot more effectively. It also changed a lot about the way shipping and distress calls were handled, as memory serves and so it had a greater impact. The Johnstown flood, like so many other incidents, was just another example of carelessness leading to death with no real change as a result.
The Titanic was an international tragedy. This was not.
The Titanic had more millionares, politicians, and British aristocrats than Johnstown
Don't be silly. The Titanic is famous for the loss of opulence. The loss of human life is cheap and sadly has now turned to sport.
This documentary totally brushed aside the culpability of the fatcats whose folly at the fishing club destroyed the lives and property of all those innocent people.
Also, I wish this documentary had given much more time and detail about the recovery effort. David Mccullough's book about the flood has some really good content about the recovery and so interesting. This documentary missed an opportunity here.
They also failed to say at the time of the dam break it was owned by the fishing club..
@@Sparky0566 There was an excellent documentary on the Flood I saw years ago - it might have been on “The American Experience” on PBS-and it gave a lot more detail about the super-wealthy families that were members of the “Fishing Club, and their cottages, and the background behind the property. What sounds so quaint was actually a bunch of big, amazing, multistory waterfront Victorian houses, and maybe even a fancy hotel(?). The Robber Baron owners truly did not give a damn about the dam. There had been a number of leaks reported in the years before, and they had been warned that repairs were needed. And after the devastation, NONE of them were held liable due to some backroom legal shenanigans. Greed, apathy, and neglect caused all that death and misery. I have no problem with someone earning a bunch of money if done honestly, but if something you build can or will put other people’s lives, property or the local environment in harms way, I find that to be especially despicable.
Of course, to this day, no accountability. Nothing more useless or selfish than the powerful rich 🤑
@@Sparky0566 it wasn't owned by the fishing club. It was owned by the PA Railroad.
So sad to see and hear of such a sorrowful tragedy happening.
"I call you and your horse a coward!"
I was taking a drink and man that line almost killed me
Sounds like something that would still come out of the mouth of a true Johnstowner 😬
My great grandfather survived the flood as a child but sadly his father couldn’t hold on to all of his children and he lost two of them.
This is my hometown. I’ve heard this story so much. There was even a dog who jumped in and saved people that had a statue. Also my great uncle has written a book on this called the bosses club
Was the dog called Morells dog?
@@pamelastetor8803 Morley's Dog.
Very informative. Rich folk cutting corners with no regard for the majority. 2021 still happens.
Still happening in 2022 as well. Money money money.
Poor folks cut corners too.
Hear Hear the wannabe dictators greedy nonscientific trash with tons of money who manipulate the easily brainwashed who are into idolatry and don't know it of men and weapons. Weapons are tools not tinker toys like the hysterical right project. They have been manipulated by the unknown millionaire billionaire daytraders. Not the wealthy that give jobs. It is the scavengers they do not want to pay for a thing zero taxes too hence the outsourcing pushing profits to the brink ....of what soon. Defunding schools since Reagan Bush. The x president did nothing new he did jrs. Playbook Jr didn't pay the UN either... they manipulated Ted turner he paid the bill... the Iran contra affair lying in don't recall north neoconservatives their weapons
as Reagan I suspect manipulated too. Our government some make it seem they are playing a game politics are not q football game now I suspect the extreme right infiltrated even saying they were or there are still old states rights democrates and also now because post civil rights the dixiecrats flipped and became Republicans hence polluting that party too so states rights both party racist white supremist. So now both could be extremely right. Lots of blockings..trashy whites..... They are stealing our rights. They are going to cause another 50 years of fossil fuels...when I was a child 50 years ago the big oil took over we were going biodegradable then in the 60s....will we have a planet in 50 years will be able to breathe with all the holes in the atmosphere? ....the Australians are decades ahead of us in alternative. Alternative would bring back the middle class. For some reason they wealthy ignorant low IQ justice and WANNBE anti- american pro russians trump pompeo want alcoholics addicts big pharma.. no vaccines no mask dependent and dead. Zero progression. STAGNET STENCH. Bizarre. Maybe they want migration too. Or maybe they are all just white supremist who are greedy wannabe dictators. CONTROLLING!
Still happening in 2023..
That has happened in all walks of life and in every level of society since man has walked the planet. It's not exclusive to "the rich" or any one group of people.
Truly a great documentary about the brave souls of Johnstown
I was born in November 1955
This can hardly be called a documentary, but where it comes up short in information, it more than makes up in pathos and grand drama. It's realistic portrayal of individuals caught up in one of the greatest disasters in America makes one feel as if they themselves stood on the mountains observing the horror with their own eyes.
The fact that this is narrated by Richard Dreyfuss, combined with the opening music, gave me massive “Jaws” vibes right off the bat.
I've watched a lot of videos like this ...... but ...... this one broke me.
It's was bad enough that the dam broke, and then the debris got caught up ....... but .... then the fire.
I lost it. 😨😰😭
I remember reading a book in the library as a kid about the Johnstown Flood. I had picked it out myself and somehow the librarian thought I was from another grade group because when my third grade teacher found out I was reading about this horrible disaster that it happened she almost had a heart attack. It was considered especially this writing I guess and years later I went back to read it and went yeah that was pretty filled with gruesomeness I'd found in the high school really watered-down versions compared to what I red in elementary school but I wasn't supposed to be checking that one out in 3rd grade.
One thing I took from that story all my life after having survived many major disasters that my parents line of work got us into I ended up I guess you could say becoming and action or disaster action junkie for the movies and I'll always tear them apart because I'll know that just like in the Johnstown Flood it'll never come out so nice as you see in the movies. I can say that we were always safe even if we were trapped 2 weeks behind any access unless it was via helicopter for delivery of food and water or the houses falling around us because of an earthquake Etc but we always felt we were safe because we knew what to do in regards to natural disasters. We learned quick that if people said it's going to flood you go to Higher Ground or away from whatever is going to break.. The only one I didn't know how to handle was the Twin Towers period in all my years growing up nor being an adult even working in emergency situations I had never experienced that type but I could only Harkin it back to the Johnstown Flood where I remembered the people had simply got on with life. I think that is the greatest lesson we can get from this. As I watch younger Generations cry because they feel they are owed something I can't figure out where they got that because reality doesn't teach that at all and they want to have such realistic lives but even their Adventures are safe and cushion guided tours that I could never have afforded at their age I was supporting myself and putting myself through school without getting myself into debt, didn't own a car couldn't rent my own apartment, but I have more education several degrees worth culminating in five different careers and yet I feel I haven't even caught my stride yet. No my life is not perfect I've struggle with depression especially after I was left disabled in my early thirties I have it clinically but that's not going to stop me I've had great tragedies in my life it's not going to keep me from enjoying life and no I have not fulfilled some of the greatest dreams I had as the timing wasn't right or the opportunity passed me by or the loved one died 2 weeks before the wedding yeah sometimes you just don't get that Brass Ring but that's why life is a lesson and I think people in the past they understood that more. They weren't fed false promises buy a media that couldn't have cared less about them they just figured if I can survive that's great period if I'm successful doing better than anybody thought I would that's great. When you look at the lives of the Great show men or multi-millionaire Blue Bloods of the past they didn't have happy lives it was very rare and very hard for them to obtain. They could push a little money to assuage their sins or just never come back to Johnstown but the men who created the disaster went down in history as cruel and uncaring people.
So your point is that you are a hero because you suffered so much yet say you managed to be highly educated but still did nothing useful with it because of something that happened that could not possibly have been your own fault. and all the kids today are greedy and entitled even though their parent and grandparents polluted and destroyed the earth to such a degree that the survival of those same greedy kids is almost impossible? Or was that whole blurb just you looking for some sort of sympathy or a gold metal that you were so smart to want to read such a book at a young age? Really, what is your point other than to hoist yourself up and degrade others? Shameful. Write a book. Don't post on RUclips for these selfish reasons. This film is not about you.
😂 my my somebody has triggered a tirade from a blamer😂
I like the soundtrack to this doc, nicely chosen.
I remember reading a book based on this when I was in elementary school, called The Terrible Wave.
My relatives lived there. In 1969 I visited my family for the first and only time.they made sure that I learned everything that I wanted to know.they pulled out the photo albums.they were finding bodies for
years, between the drowning victims and corpses washed out of the cemeteries,60 years later I can still see those pictures and the stories of the survivors
those are for museums now.
Such a sad story indeed. .
I have 2 books about this flood. This is an awesome and amazing documentary superbly done about the disaster.
That's my hometown and still live here, the flood I was in was 1977 , I had to get stitches that day from debris, seeing dead and hurt people was terrible
My great great grandfather lost his first wife and 2 young daughters while he was at work. I cannot imagine what any of these victims had went through that day.
Absolutely excellent - and chilling! - documentary!
Call a man a coward all you want, don't ever call his horse a coward.
This documentation told of human tragedy. It seems as if it's purpose was just to focus on the victims themselves and not to place blame. That's why I have enjoyed watching it .Sometimes the people themselves get lost amongst the blaming of those who are responsible. I watch enough documentation to know who was at fault. I just want to know about those lost. Who they were as much as possible, and their story. So for this much that you've shared , I thank you.
Good point.
This needs to be talked about more. I was 9 years old in 1989 and I don't remember hearing about this. Throughout my adulthood I have never heard about it...until now. Thank you for posting this. ☮
Ummmm......sorry girl, this happened in 1889, not 1989. You're one hundred years too late. Of course you've never heard of it.
1889, 1889, duh...
@@Yosetime Moonewich was probably think that you'd have heard more about this disaster in 1989 since that was the 100 years anniversary of the dam's failure.
They say that every 40 years Johnstown has a flood, I believe that
While researching my family tree, unfortunately I believe several on my paternal gradfathers family was lost on this flood. It broke my heart seeing how many with the same last name were never found. RIP all that perished.
Thank you. I live here. I can see the Stone bridge from my house!!!!
Yes, a full documentary. Thank u.
I think I saw this film before at the Flood Museum in Johnstown about 26 years ago.
Thank you for sharing….
If you found this story compelling, recommend reading Isaac's Storm, a similar tragedy about the Galveston Hurricane.
This tragedy created one of the biggest tennents of our laws that we take for granted today and at times is abused: liability. Until Johnstown, our laws had no provisions to sue for liability. The wealthy fat cats escaped and the case that WAS brought against the men who ignored warnings of danger - were never brought to justice. Today this would have been egregious. At the time there was no such thing as liability. In reality, the massive loss of life began the long road to many laws, engineering requirements, mandatory inspections and regulations that today secure the dams we do need for our water supply. Sadly anyone IS above a law that does not exist. God Bless the victims.
My first husband had relatives who passed away in the flood. I didn't know this until long after I divorced him. David McCullough wrote a riveting book, chronicling this disaster. At the end of the book is a list of the victims and that's where I saw my ex-husband's last name.
That music at the beginning of this video sounded like a Hitchcock thriller.
Why no discussion about the greed and hubris of the infamous titans who created this disaster?
they probably had all of that buried and whatnot
SUCH A HORRIBLE. TRAGEDY ..IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.MAY THEY ALL REST IN PEACE.🌹
Name the names. Andrew Carnegie for one! Read David McCollough’s book on the Johnston Flood. Better than any video I’ve seen.
My great aunt Sophia was in the second John’s own flood and that incline there saved her life.
Thank you for providing this information. I will get the book from our library. Others commented about books to read about this disaster too.
Excellent documentary
Too much background music and extra sound made it hard to hear the facts.
What a cool documentary! I’ve learned a lot about this disaster in the last 4yrs since I’ve lived in PA so seeing this was kind of a treat in a way. Like someone else in the comments said this put the spotlight on the victims and gave insight from their point of view, more than on the reasons that led to it, which is a nice change of pace.
I have a relative that was lost in this flood and was never recovered.
That had to be horrible to live through and accept. I can’t even imagine what that felt like.
I heard this story 60 years ago from Pat Taylor. And have never forgotten it.
Love the dramatic documentary format. HATE the volume -- whispers so soft I needed to increase the volume 4-to 5 clicks while Booming Lud portions were so earsplitting I hit mute. Geez, people! This is so easy to produce and this much later fix.
Like Matt Kustom Kostumes' comment below, I noticed the rich elite who had responsibility of the dam and their willful failures were never mentioned in this "documentary". I'm ashamed of them.
Also, over 400 family lines were wiped out with no survivors.
As a Pennsylvanian, those points are very relavent and mean so much to me. So why were these pertinent points never mentioned in this "documentary".
Get over your silly anger.
@@lambo58
"Silly anger"?
If I was angry, I would say so.
Be mature.
Be mature? You're ashamed of something that happened nearly 140 years ago. Time to get over it.
Great video. Thank you.
I remember learning about this in 7th grade. So sad. Even went there for a field trip.
The curse of May 31 falling on a Friday. This was the worst incident, but I can't help but remember some of the other incidents: the 1985 tornado outbreak, the microburst that destroyed the Whip at Kennywood.
Imagine losing your whole family and being the sole survivor after this.
A fiction novel -Julie- by Catherine Marshall gives a very good representation of what life was like around the town, the steelworks & the resort as well as the causes of the flood.
Not only people died during this flood, Rich people who thought they know it all, these RICH people who ruin the peaceful town didn't even help the people. Didn't even help the town. With all their MONEY, they didn't do NOTHING!
Their lives were never rid of the guilt. They built the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University and Carnegie Hall. They kept giving their money away. Philanthropists.
What in the world are you talking about? Were you there back in 1889? Exactly who are these rich people who stood by and watched? Your notion is ridiculous
You can actually see the remains of the old dam on MSFS2020 in amazing detail.
I love watching documentaries an this is a good one
I do too. They’re very interesting and provide good discussions. And hopefully we have learned from them too.
@@Vicki1951
Ya know I even watched a documentary on Hinze 57 that makes condiments like ketchup an loved it lol. I'll watch a documentary on just about anything
Learned about this tragedy in a book series called The Americans a few years back and have done a lot of research on it
Are you referring to a series of books by John Jakes by any chance? I believe that was called the Americans. I read the series but I don't remember anything about the Johnstown flood so I will have to go back and look for that. I love that series in the 1970s!
I hate! hate May 31st! I live in Southwestern Pennsylvania and May 31st has a history of severe weather. May 31sts that stick in my mind 1985, 1998, 2002. The local meteorologists go on watch starting in the week leading up and bring on extra people on May 31st.
May 31 2013 in Oklahoma, the largest tornado in history touched down lol.
@@snuffedtorch3683 El Reno tornado, correct? How many times has that area (Moore / El Reno) been hit by an EF-5?
@@aprilrichards762 yes. El Reno. Moore has been hit by 2 EF 5 tornadoes. Plus multiple other tornadoes. Almost had one here yesterday, but circulation died just before reaching the city.
Maybe it's time to move?
@@snuffedtorch3683 insane! I wonder why Moore has been hit so many times?
Not for the weak-hearted, to be sure. But presented with honesty no underestimating of the horrors.
My family has lived in johnstown for hundreds of years, on my mom's side of my family I believe, my great great great great grand father was the owner of the famous house that was on its side and impailed by a tree. But since my mom's heritage is just built different my grand father still lives here and owns shultz bros beer distributor
this movie had a budget of $200 and $150 went to Richard Dreyfuss
Lol, this is accurate
Pena que não entendi uma palavra...e nem legenda em português tem. Lamentável.
Sad for sure. Good job on telling the story of it though.
What year was this made? I'm thinking it is over 15 years old.
I looked it up; it is from 2003.
Quality of the production is amateurish at best. Can't believe that Richard Dreyfus lent his voice to this production.
I remember the flood of 1977. I was 9.
I first learned of Johnstown Flood from a assigned book in 5th grade through who else but, Houghton Mifflin The Terrible Wave a storyline regarding The Flood through the perspective of a teenage girl and teenage boy.
It was based of course on the Johnstown Flood of 1889.
See I was confused by the name Johnstown due to me being born in California, it was 3 year's from the Time Jim Jones in Guyana had transpired.
I was 11 years old when I first heard of the infamous Jonestown, in Guyana.
So when I read about the Terrible Flood and saw Johnstown I kept asking my teacher I don't understand where is Jim Jones there's no mention of him in here.
My poor class mates at the time hadn't yet heard of Jim Jones and The Kool Aid my growth as a Christian meant mom assumed the responsibility to teach me about false prophet's and pretend Christians like Jim Jones.
Today, I do know the difference between Johnstown, Flood in Pennsylvania 1889, and Jim Jonestown in Guyana, 1978.
Has anyone else out there ever did something similar pertaining to Subject Matters or Topics in History?
I have. But I have to say, my 5th grade book assignment, here in Canada, was Lord of the Flies. It terrified the begeegee's out of me for months!! When it came time to put together the book report for school I told my teacher to go pound sand! I wasn't going to finish that wretched book nor write about it! I don't recall anything else about 5th grade past the look on his face as I defiantly refused to comply.
I figured then, and still do, that if I am going to be disturbed for months about anything it should be about something of historical and educational value. Not some bizarre fictional nonsense. To this day I watch true documentaries almost exclusively.
I so wish I could relive that moment again!
I did learn of the KoolAid thing many, many years later. And wondered WTH? People do that? These days, we learn about Indian Residential School atrocities. And can't believe it was still going on even as I was growing up. Nobody wrote books about it or taught us about it at school. They really should have. We'd be alot further ahead now.
@@Yosetime I did believe that America was the only place to have those insufferable Indian School's teaching children not too be quote Indian's.
I never dreamed that Indian School's were in Canada until I took a Online Native American Children's Library Class; The Class assigned this Book about a young girl that had to by Canadian law attend those Indian School's.
The damage done by those School's are outrageous.
@@Yosetime I have experienced the same fearful feelings after watching a movie or reading a book that kids probably shouldn’t have been allowed to. But, I was born in 1951 which was way before movies, books and other types of entertainment was labeled age appropriate. I can still recall some of them and what I felt at the time.
I first saw this on the men who built America, tragically sad
That was a very good in depth documentary.
Thank you. I will search for it.
Yeah I a little about 40 miles from Georgetown and I've been there many Johnstown I've been there many times and been to the damn it's just horrific I I read about it I read all kinds of things about ITIT's just terrible
This video is pretty melodramatic, and the enactors leave something to be desired. American Experience has a better video of this event, if it's still available here.
Yeah, it gives community college-level re-enactments, videography, and sound effects, but it was still informative.
I previously only knew this as a Bruce lyric
Richard Dreyfuss?
Yes 😎
Man's gotta eat.
This was while ago.
The book was excellent!!,
Could you please tell me the name of the book you read? I’m sure there’s
more than one. I’m also interested In documentary about a flood at Rapid City, SD or maybe Estes Park, CO. I read an article about the flood many years ago but can’t remember which of those 2 places it happened. I will research on my own too. 😊
At 16'10", the "warning sound" that the narration says no one took notice of was a train sounding its whistle. Here's what Wikipedia says about it:
big mistake when those pipes were removed, so tragic
Weird, every single Street they named are all in conjunction with one another in downtown Red Bluff California
Maybe he was just getting the jewelry from family’s dead family members to give to the families who lost their loved ones and the vigilance comity didn’t even care
I have never heard of this before.
So where was Mr, Krause as he had a bird’s eye view of the dam and the water taking away homes??! Why wasn’t he taken away with the water??!
I only watched about 15 minutes and noted several inaccuracies.
THE GUILTY NEVER EVEN GOT THEIR SHOES WET,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BUT THEY LOST THEIR LAKE,,,,,,TO BAD FOR MONEY,& POWER !
The man called another man’s horse a coward...
I know, that was too far.🤣🤣🤣
Thank you, Mr Frick! :{
What if this was aired on PBS?
Song name when fire scene?
Song Name at 33:28?
"I call you and your horse a coward! Damn's only collapse when I instruct them to!"
❤
Even though several people got together to sue the fat cats for compensation none was won. Very few won anything from the men that were some of the richest in the world, so sad!
The 10 ft. design depth had to be monitored every season. Who designed the cross section must have left drawing with County Engineer ? Sort of similar to
bridge inspection ?
Very good content, illustrations, re-enactments. Impressed that they got Richard Dreyfuss to narrate, but...How does an actor not understand maintaining volume? He practically shouts the first few words of every sentence, and every sentence ends practically whispered. Fortunately I had subtitles turned on.
I believe he is stressing the beginning of his sentences in order to get the audiences attention...I think they teach that in acting school.
@@dandiedinmont8964 In acting school they teach you to project and maintain volume. Imagine this type of technique on stage. It's all good, just hard for me to follow.
All that debris and wreckage carried by the flood piled up against the railroad bridge blocking the water from escaping.
I'm often confused as to why nobody talks about the Johnstown flood that occurred in the 70s????
That if I remember correctly was pretty devastating too?
I remember visiting there as a kid after the flood, and it was awful. I had family there and I remember what it was like before and after the flood. Does anyone know if these were the same areas?
I know it was near Indiana PA, and a borough call Penn Run.
I'm sure it was.
"I call you and your horse a coward"
That actually was pretty funny. Cause any horse free to roam at that time would be standing high up in the mountains. Alive and proud to be so. No cowardice in sight! lol
Prolly lots a bones scattered, and buried along creek and River beds in the valleys..By now, they would be exposed and found by people, thinkin they were other animal bones..
I live in Burnsville now.
At 16:09 An Engineer John Hess ran his train backward to warn the people of East Conemaugh.
Johnstown flooded at 4:07pm.
Burning is worse than drowning.
😔👍