WELCOME TO JOHNSTOWN

Johnstown is a small city located in Western Pennsylvania, within the Laurel Highlands and the Appalachian Mountains. It sits between Pittsburgh and State College. Once known only for the tragedies of three major floods that devastated the city, many more modern claims to fame shine a positive light on Johnstown.

The Birthplace of Steve Ditko

Johnstown is the birthplace of Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Squirrel Girl, and Mr. A, to name just a few of his creations. It also hosts the only officially sanctioned public mural by Marvel Comics of Spider-Man. Ditko was raised in Johnstown, and the Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center decided it was time to honor their hometown hero with a public art project.

The First NHL-sanctioned Kraft Hockeyville

The city is also recognized as the first NHL-sanctioned Kraft Hockeyville, USA, due to its rich hockey history. Johnstown has hosted professional hockey on some level for more than 70 years, with teams such as the Johnstown Jets, Chiefs, and Tomahawks. It was also the host city for the fictitious Charlestown Chiefs in the 1977 Paul Newman film “Slap Shot” as well as the home to Tom Cruise and Lea Thompson in the 1983 movie “All the Right Moves.”

A Go-to Location for International Business

At one point, Johnstown was a hub of the booming steel and mining industries, but it has reinvented itself as a go-to location for international business, tech industries, and manufacturing. The town has made a point to focus on the community, with centers throughout town helping to promote the arts, education, and public development, all while preserving its small-town roots and ethnic diversity.