Juaniata County Historic Resource Survey: Disaster Planning for Historic Properties

Abstract: "in 2019, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) contracted Johnson, Mirmiran and Thompson (JMT) to conduct a field survey of flood prone historic resources in Juniata County. The project was funded as part of the federal Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-2), designed to streamline disaster assistance related to the 2012 event Hurricane Sandy. Early in 2014, the PA SHPO was awarded funds to help stabilize and repair historic properties damaged by Hurricane Sandy and undertake disaster-related planning initiatives. Juniata County in central Pennsylvania was selected as an under-documented flood prone area in need of greater survey and documentation. Five communities were selected in the county based on their estimated flood risk and existing levels of documentation: Mexico, Thompsontown, East Salem, McAlisterville, Port Royal. The reconnaissance-level survey conducted for this project prioritized identifying resources within flood hazard areas including both the 100-year (1.0% chance of flood in a given year) and 500-year (0.2% chance of flood in a given year) floodplains. This is inclusive of the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)-recognized Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), which is limited to the 100-year floodplain. JMT identified community landmarks within these flood zones that possess cultural, historical, or architectural significance and/or contribute to local communities' sense of place. Utilizing an architectural historian and professional surveyor, JMT documented 158 resources across the five communities, capturing both elevations and flood risk data, as well as recording architectural features and approximate dates of construction. The results of this survey are summarized in the following report. Additionally, JMT identified five resources to be further documented through the completion of Historic Resource Survey Forms. Those resources included: the McAlisterville School (McAlisterville Community Center), Port Royal Spinning Mill, Island Grove Camp Meeting, the East Salem Crossroad Historic District, and the Mexico Main Street Historic District." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, Historical and Museum Commission, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P20A00043).

Juaniata County Historic Resource Survey: Disaster Planning for Historic Properties

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