May 31 in American History
A poorly maintained dam upstream of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, failed after heavy rains, sending a wall of water through the city and killing over 2,200 people in minutes. The disaster — traced to the negligence of a wealthy private club that owned the dam — spurred a landmark shift toward holding people legally accountable for such catastrophes.
In 1889: the Johnstown Flood. A poorly maintained dam upstream of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, failed after heavy rains, sending a wall of water through the city and killing over 2,200 people in minutes.
A poorly maintained dam upstream of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, failed after heavy rains, sending a wall of water through the city and killing over 2,200 people in minutes. The disaster — traced to the negligence of a wealthy private club that owned the dam — spurred a landmark shift toward holding people legally accountable for such catastrophes.
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