By: Bill Thawley

For more than 140 years, the American Red Cross has provided safe shelter, food, relief supplies and comfort to those in need after a disaster. The legacy of providing humanitarian aid dates back to the 19^th century and the Great Flood of 1889.

The Pennsylvania city of Johnstown was built at the junction of the Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers, forming the Conemaugh River. In the late 1800s, Johnstown was a thriving steel town with a population of approximately 30,000 people. On May 31, 1889, after several days of heavy rainfall, the South Fork Dam ruptured, releasing vast amounts of water into Johnstown, located in the valley 14 miles downstream. The resulting flood killed more than 2,200 people, including 99 entire families and nearly 400 children. Some 124 women and 198 men were widowed. Tens of thousands were left homeless.

The American Red Cross responded under the leadership of founder Clara Barton. It was the first major disaster relief effort of the newly established Red Cross. Barton and 50 volunteers arrived in Johnstown on June 5, 1889 from Washington, D.C. and stayed for five months. Support for the endeavors of the Red Cross came from across the United States and 18 foreign countries.

The Red Cross team built shelters for the survivors in large buildings known as "Red Cross hotels." Within these buildings, the Red Cross provided free lodging, warm meals, provisions for daily needs and medical care. The Locust Street Red Cross hotel was two stories tall, with 34 rooms, laundry, kitchen, bathrooms with hot and cold water and a dining hall. Once the hotels were no longer needed, the buildings were disassembled and shipped to Washington, D.C. for storage. The builders of these hotels also later constructed the Glen Echo, Md., home of Clara Barton.

Without a hint from the Red Cross, manufacturers from across the country sent furniture, bedding, pillows, sheets and cooking utensils by the thousands. Barton and her assistant, Dr. Julian Hubbell, designed a warehouse that was built within four days to sort, store and distribute the donated supplies. Red Cross volunteers also built and furnished new homes for the Johnstown residents.

Records show that more than 25,000 people were served by the Red Cross during this disaster relief operation. Clara Barton herself remained on site for five months, earning the admiration of the people of Johnstown. To this day, the Johnstown Flood remains the deadliest disaster by dam failure in the United States.

Today, the Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago, helping families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters. As an organization with more than 140 years of experience responding to disasters, the Red Cross stands on the frontlines of the climate crisis, responding to rapidly intensifying storms, extreme heat, record floods and widespread wildfires.

The need to help during disasters has never been greater. Join us to provide relief and hope when it matters most. Help people affected by disasters big and small, including climate-driven crises, by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief or sign up to volunteer with your local chapter.