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Did You Know?
Johnstown has been designated the best small metropolitan area to live in Pennsylvania and the fourth best in the East. Find out more in this feature article. Johnstown is the home of the annual FolkFest, attracting over 130,000 visitors partaking in ethnic foods, quality live entertainment, and church tours. Johnstown has many interesting things to show the visitor, including the Conemaugh Gap, the gorge at the western end of the city, where the Conemaugh River breaks through the Laurel Hill Ridge. It extends for 7 miles and is 1, 700 feet deep, the second deepest gap in the eastern United States. Cambria County also is the site of Portage Tunnel, the first railway tunnel in the U.S. Johnstown is the site of the Johnstown Inclined Plane "the steepest vehicular inclined plane in the world," according to the Guinness Book of World Records, (grade 71%). In 1976, Universal Studios Hollywood, California selected Johnstown as the site for the making of a movie about hockey, entitled "Slapshot" starring Paul Newman. In 1983, Johnstown was selected by 20th Century Fox as the location for the filming of "All The Right Moves," starring Tom Cruise, Leah Thompson and Craig T. Nelson. Johnstown natives include former Pittsburgh Steeler Jack Ham, former Denver Bronco Pete Duranko, and Washington Redskin Jeff Hostetler. Prince Gallitzin was the first priest trained and ordained in America. His home and several chapels are open to the public in the town of Loretto. Bishop Carroll was the first Bishop in America. The town of Carrolltown is named after this religious leader. Cambria County is the second largest potato producer in the state of Pennsylvania. Potato lovers can join in the annual PotatoFest held in Ebensburg in early October. Population: Johnstown -- 28,134 (corporate limits)
Greater Johnstown -- 79,297 (area within 5 mile radius of City Hall,
including 10 boroughs and 8 townships)
Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area -- 241,247
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