grandview cemetery

AletheaBerkleyPruitt

My sisters and I visit Grandview Cemetery every time we visit Johnstown. Next visit will be August 2015 . Our dearest family members are in Grandview and we check in at the office to make sure our family resting places are all secure. We were raised in Kernville where our property ran along side of the old Grandview Cemetery wall that runs up Millcreek Road. This is a comforting haven for our family and we grew up visiting Grandview throughout our entire lives. Our Great Great Grandfather was buried there in 1904. Grandview is a great, peaceful resting place, and has always been well kept.The Berkley Sisters- Charlotte Gipson, Patti Meredith and Allie Pruitt

Ernest58

As cemeteries go, this is interesting because it is the final resting place of 777 unidentified victims of the 1889 Flood, among a total of 2,200 who were killed. It's interesting also because it has some grand monuments to prominent families of that era. It's still Johnstown's preeminent cemetery.

Schmuey

There are so many that are buried there that are from the 1889 flood that will never be know.... They speak to you loudly, but you can hear perfect silence. A place to ponder how such a disaster can be allowed to happen. But, one of the most majestic Cemetarys that I have ever seen in my life. So many wealthy laying beside so many unknown and poor. It really is a beautiful setting on top a hill in of one of Johnstown's nicest areas. Be respectful, be understanding, be loving.

MaritaGodfrey

This is a beautiful cemetery to walk around. The unidentified victims' section is sobering. To see so many unmarked graves makes you realize the devastation the flood caused. I found it interesting that some headstones said drowned instead of died. It's rare to see a headstone name the cause of a death. I guess it was a way of honoring those innocent victims.

Grayhare

Worth a drive through even if is just to see the graves of the unkown killed in the flood. But other than that it is just your average cemetery.

lindasM3496FA

Wee wanted to get a complete perspective of the history of the Johnstown flood. This showed us real people perished.

sidjed

This is a hugh cemetery, the vistas are peaceful, rolling hills and many statues. It is very impressive to look at the section called thie "Unknowns" This is where the remains of those who could not be identified where laid to rest.

marcab19

We went to the cemetary for 2 reasons. The first was to see the monument for the unknown dead from the flood and then second was because of the supposedly panoramic view of the city. We never did find the view after driving around for quite some time since the trees seemed to block everything. However if you just get out and walk around the graves to look at the history it certainly makes you wonder how they lived so many years ago. The tombstones themselves offer a various display of architecture that make it interesting in itself. There is one tomb made of marble and if you look at the family you will see that they had 4 or 5 children that died before they were 7 years old. The heartache that family must have felt is very sobering. Its a wi

SerbianBaba

historical and beautiful resting place; this cemetery is the resting place of the dead (known and unknown) from the Flood of 1889. There are many interesting tombstones.

EximiousTraveller

Grandview Cemetery is aptly named. It is a vast and beautifully situated cemetery [founded only a handful of years before the disastrous flood] which charts the social history of Johnstown and the surrounding area. It is wonderfully kept. I chatted with one of the gardeners who were ensuring that everything was kept pristine and he explained how big the task is. Whilst there are many notable tombs and sculptures, most people visit the cemetery to see the plot where many of the flood's 2,209 victims are buried. There is a section of the cemetery called the "Unknown Plot" [see the photograph] which contains the bodies of 777 flood victims who could not be identified. The “Monument of Tranquility” to the flood victims was dedicated in 1892 before a crowd estimated at 10,000. Worth the visit even if just for this poignant section of the cemetery. It is most moving and an absolute must after seeing the Johnstown Flood Museum and/or the Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Unmissable.

debbyt383

The Momument of Tranquility overlooks the unknown plot here of 777 unidentified flood victims. A bleak sight but makes an impact. This is a huge cemetery with a few vaults and also has the grave of Col Boyd 'Buzz' Wagner, America's first WWII ace.

JoanneD683

If you are a visitor to Johnstown, you won't want to miss Grandview cemetary in Old Westmont. The plot of the Unknown, is said to see as they all have the same date and no names. Make sure you also visit the Flood Museum in downtown Johnstown. The movie is well worth watching.

ThreeWiseMen1998

I love the history of the cemetery. My wife and I try to find all the people that died on May 31th 1889 (Flood year). Some of the sites have some huge stones and the artwork is great. Coming here one would have to visit the plot of the unknown.

redwolf275

There are hundreds of victims of the 1889 flood buried here. I recommend if you are driving that you stop your car by the large marker with the many stones (about 700) of many unidentified victims. It's a sad place to visit, but brings history alive in a way that is otherwise difficult to experience. After you visit the graves of the unknown, walk in any direction and look for older family plots. You will find dozens of plots where sometimes the entire family was wiped out in the flood. Others tell similar stories with only one or two lost in the flood, but all the gravestones, Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, etc, bear the same date, May 31, 1889.One note, don't stay in the cemetery after closing hours (posted on the gate). They locked the gate on us without checking to see we were inside. We had to call an emergency number to be let out.

JudyC511

We like to visit old cemeteries, and have never been to one like this. Walk (or drive) through the property to view the hundreds of stones with the same date of May 31, 1889--the Johnstown Flood. So sobering to see the young and old that lost their lives to the Flood, and then to see the field of stones marking the Unknown Dead. Truly a unique cemetery, and definitely a part of the Flood story to go along with the museums of the area.