Category: History

Johnstown’s first record of an organized group of fire-fighting, bucket-brigade volunteers was public notice on August 20, 1908 that read: “To Johnstown Fire Department: In case of fire, several dozen tin pails, two axes and two extension ladders can be found stored in a wareroom just north of the old Morrison Black Smith Shop (where…

At the time of her death in May 1956, Elsie Dee Grant had served as Johnstown’s first and only school nurse for the previous 27 years, also surpassing all of the school teachers’ tenure up to that time. Miss Grant first came to Johnstown during the Diphtheria epidemic in the spring of 1927 and assisted…

The October 12, 1922 issue of The Johnstown Breeze announced a new industry, The Colorado Soap Company, was moving to Johnstown. And, indeed, the factory did come, much to the painful memory of many of the old timers who invested in the company. The new building, located on North Main Street (now Parish Avenue), was…

Early Johnstown had its share of general stores. The W.H. McCormick Mercantile and the Davis-Hartford Mercantile were among the earliest retailers to serve the budding town’s residents. The Gem Mercantile entered the scene a few years later and would outlast them all.   Older newlyweds Henry and Albina Clingenpeel incorporated the Gem Mercantile Company in August…

In 1910, Lottie Parish, the only daughter of town founders Harvey and Mary Parish, had the honor of scooping up the first shovel-full of dirt and tossing it aside in a ceremonial groundbreaking for what would become the Colorado Condensed Milk Company plant in Johnstown.  The condensery was organized  by area businessmen and farmers through a tentative agreement with the Mohawk  Condensed…

Although the sign reads Hotel Johnstown, it was commonly known as the “Johnstown Hotel.” Built in 1902 by Montravel (Monte) Tucker on the corner of Rutherford Avenue and Charlotte Street, it was one of the first structures built in Harvey Parish’s new town. It was originally named the Horner Hotel. At some point  early on…