$17K grant to save parish that survived 1889 Johnstown flood

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A $17,500 grant has been awarded to help repair the roof of a former parish rectory that survived the 1889 Johnstown Flood.

The Steeples Project was awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The money will be used to repair the roof of the former rectory at St. Columba Church in Cambria City.

St. Columba (916 Broad Street) was founded by Irish immigrants in 1882, with the church rectory completed just weeks before the Johnstown Flood. When five local Catholic parishes were consolidated in 2009, the parish closed and the rectory was later converted into a bed and breakfast before becoming part of The Steeples Project to create a public theater venue with the rectory and the newer, 1914-built church.

“This is an opportunity to save history, by reusing existing buildings that are architectural treasures in their own right, while also creating something new that will contribute to the economy,” State Rep. Frank Burns said. “But the rectory roof is in dire need of repair, which if not addressed threatens the building’s structural integrity. This grant will help with those efforts.”

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According to The Steeples Project, the former church rectory will be incorporated into the public theater project, which, when completed, anticipates an annual economic impact of $2.7 million.

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