JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – For the 135th anniversary of the Johnstown Flood of 1889, many paid a visit to the Johnstown Flood Museum Saturday and others participated in a special tour from the Johnstown Flood National Memorial in South Fork to downtown Johnstown and then to Grandview Cemetery where flood victims are buried.

The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20 million tons of water that devastated Johnstown, killing 2,209 people. However, visitors to Johnstown Saturday, including Mary Ellen Wolbers, of Novi, Michigan, were astounded by the resilience of the people who emerged from the debris and rebuilt the city.

“It’s very impressive,” Wolbers said. “Tragic, but amazing how the people recovered and came together. You’d hope the same thing can happen in your town.”

Wolbers was in town for Johnstown’s PolkaFest, but made a point to visit the Flood museum.

Roger and Lisa May, of Pittsburgh, shared Wolbers’ sentiment.

“It’s a tribute to the people to even rebuild,” Roger May said.

He and Lisa also visited Johnstown for the first time Saturday, taking in a series of events hosted by the National Park Service and Johnstown Area Heritage Association to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the flood and honor the victims of the catastrophe.

“I was totally surprised by how beautiful this little town is,” Lisa May said.

Cheryl Resop, of Gettysburg, was also among the visitors to the Johnstown Flood Museum, 304 Washington St. in downtown Johnstown.

“I grew up knowing of the flood, but I’ve never been here, so I thought it was time to learn.”

The museum hosted a one-day special exhibition telling the story of the National Guard’s involvement in flood relief through artifacts and displays.

About 30 people took the tour from the former site of the South Fork Dam to downtown Johnstown, where they were met by re-enactors taking on roles of flood survivors.

In garb from the period, Kristen Caddy, of Johnstown, shared the story of Anna Fenn.

“It’s an honor to be in the role of Anna Fenn and tell her story. The fact that she lost her husband and all of her seven children pulls on the heart strings,” Caddy said.

Nick Wuckovich portrayed Johnstown Tribune Editor George Swank.

“He was an individual who had sway with the community,” Wuckovich said. “His newspaper was one of the more accurate of the time. I’m happy to portray a pillar of the community such as George Swank.”

The tour was organized by Doug Bosley, site manager of the Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Deb Winterscheidt, director of development and membership services at Johnstown Area Heritage Association.

“We had a full tour of people wanting to learn about the flood,” Bosley said. “This was a great way to partner with JAHA. Together, we can do great things for the public. This re-enactment is a much more interesting way to learn about the flood. It brings it to life. We are on the ground where the flood happened.”