Johnstown Pennsylvania (#2)

Laurie and I are wishing that everyone has a happy and healthy New Year!🎉🎇🎊

After our drive along the highways and byways of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, followed by our visit to the Johnstown Flood Museum, we still had a bit of time left for a little exploration.  One item of interest caught my eye as we exited the museum, so off we went...

The Johnstown railway depot at 43 Walnut Street was the second Pennsylvania Railroad station that was built in Johnstown.  By 1914 the earlier station was outdated and was overwhelmed by the passenger traffic on what was one of the busiest stops on the main line.  This new station was completed in the fall of 1916.  The depot's architect was Kenneth Murchison, and he's well known for his design of several well known depots over the course of his career.  His design of the Johnstown's depot was typical of Beaux-Arts design incorporating Neoclassical elements.

Fortunately, the former Johnstown Pennsylvania Railway Depot is partly accessible because it serves as an active Amtrak passenger destination.  We couldn't access the enormous waiting room with its original oak benches mounted on marble bases, Guastavino vaulted ceiling, marble Doric pilasters and wainscoting, terrazzo flooring, ornamental windows, and the old ticket windows.  That area of the depot...although apparently well maintained...just isn't utilized by Amtrak.  

In our imagination we could visualize this giant hall populated by a couple hundred passengers coming and going or waiting for their train to arrive.  I found photos on-line showing that someone cares about this old depot...as this waiting room was decorated for Christmas.  Based on the information I found, the depot is owned by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association.

FYI - Guastavino tiling is a patented technique for constructing robust, self-supporting arches and architectural vaults using interlocking terracotta tiles and layers of mortar to form a thin skin, with the tiles following the curve of the roof.

This hallway or corridor runs along one side of the waiting room.  The doors at the end of the hall lead to the boarding platform.  The ticket window, (Yes, this depot is manned!), is under that blue sign at the left near the doors.  Note the benches that now serve as the waiting room.  The depot also serves as the  Greyhound Bus station in Johnstown.

This tiled tunnel leads under the tracks and it provides access to the boarding platform for Amtrak passengers.  The setting was a little 'spooky'.  Fortunately for us, the ticket agent allowed us to access this passageway so we could go up to the boarding area...

I found this old photo on-line.  It shows Johnstown's passenger boarding platform back in 1967...just a bit decrepit but at least it was covered.

This is the Amtrak passenger boarding platform in Johnstown as it appeared in late September 2024.  Not too welcoming but at least shelter is provided for passengers waiting for their train.  There is an exterior elevator available.  The shelter is in bad shape, rusting out around the bottom in several places.

I captured this fuzzy photo from the Internet.  It shows an Amtrak train and passengers at the Johnstown passenger platform.  This once busy depot is now served by only one train a day in either direction.  The Pennsylvanian is a 444 mile daily daytime train that operates between New York City and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia and Harrisburg PA.  Traveling the entire route takes about 9 hours.  In 2023, a total of 16,449 passengers were processed through this depot.    

As the saying goes, "Hope springs eternal".  Improvements to the station platforms, tunnels and track were slated to begin in the fall of 2022.  A new heated and air-conditioned headhouse (shelter), an interior elevator, stairway, small waiting area and a platform with a snow melt system are all part of the plan.  The station itself is envisioned as a downtown anchor that would serve as a multimodal transportation center with space dedicated as a visitor's center, farmers market and retail spaces.

This is the Tribune-Democrat Building in downtown Johnstown.  This structure with its Classical Revival details was built in 1919.  The Tribune-Democrat is the result of a merger between two newspapers, the Tribune and the Democrat.  This is also the home of the Johnstown Magazine.  That 'person' by the entrance who's reading the paper is a statue of "The Working Man".  He is everyone and he represents the importance of a free press in society.

Built in 1893, only 4 years after the Johnstown flood, this is the GAR building in the center of town.  This Grand Army of the Republic chapter (US Civil War), once had over 300 member.  The Romanesque style structure features heavy stone arches and carved stone sculptures or insets with a cannon and crossed sword motif.  Currently the building is owned by a Michigan firm.  It appeared to be empty when we visited but previously it was home to a tavern and a diner.

My photo of this structure wasn't usable...so I went online and copied this one.  This was the business center of the Cambria Iron Company's empire.  It was a Johnstown Flood survivor.  The two sections, built in 1881 and in 1885 reflect changing architectural styles.  The right side is Palladian...very symmetrical, while the left side is very much a Queen Anne design.  

Before the flood destroyed much of Johnstown in 1889, the city was very much a company town.  About 7,000 men and women worked for Cambria.  Many of those workers rented one of the 700 company houses in the area.  Groceries and supplies were purchased at the company store.  Medical service could be obtained at the company-financed hospital.

I found this photo on line... I'm guessing that the air wasn't too healthy in Johnstown when Cambria's steel mills dominated the valley.  This photo shows just one of the smelters in the area.  Cambria also operated railroad shops, flour mills, several banks and newspapers.

Only those employed by the Cambria Company lived on the flats and man-made ground along the rivers.  The company built rows of two-story frame tenements close together to cut costs.  The better tenements were separate buildings, with 2 families to the house.  Cheaply made, the tenements rented for from $5.00 to $15.00 per month.  The company also owned the surrounding hills.  One hill contained limestone and another coal.  Narrow-gauge railroads ran from Cambria's mines down to the iron/steel works.

When our day was coming to an end, we decided that we didn't want to drive around trying to find a restaurant for dinner.  So, we decided to go to Chili's Grill and Bar.  I had a bad experience at a Chili's several years ago and this was our first time to give this casual style restaurant chain another chance. 

Chili's was founded in Texas back in 1975 and its now currently owned and operated by Brinker International.  Chili's serves American food, Tex-Mex cuisine and dishes influenced by Mexican cuisine.  Chili's Grill and Bar has at least 1,610 locations world-wide and they can be found in 37 nations.  About 40% (plus or minus) of the restaurants are franchised.

This was the dining room at the Johnstown Chili's Grill and Bar.  It was fairly quiet but very casual, a real positive for us after a long and busy day.

Laurie kept it simple.  She ordered a bowl of Chili's Original Chili accompanied by a house salad with dressing on the side. ($11.29) She was happy and I was able to sample her chili too.  It was very good!

For my dinner, I went for the Nashville Hot Chicken Crispers Combo. ($15.99) It included blue cheese dipping sauce for the chicken, a modest order of French fries and a cup of white mac 'n cheese.  The chicken pictured on the menu looked like strips or 'fingers' but my chicken was in chunks.  It had a little bite and it was tasty...but it certainly wasn't truly Nashville Hot.

Chili's Grill and Bar in Johnstown Pennsylvania is located at 105 Town Centre Drive.  You can learn more and check out the extensive menu at 

https://www.chilis.com/locations/us/pennsylvania/johnstown?searchResults=true.  

Once again I went online for a photo.  I wanted to show an bird's eye view of Johnstown.  Given the proximity of the rivers and the impact of heavy rains funneling down through the many hills and low mountains, floods seem almost inevitable.  Flood control river walls have been erected but despite their presence, major flooding took place again in 1977.  Of course, nothing can compare with the deluge that occurred when the dam broke.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave