'They are remembered': Luminarias at Johnstown Flood National Memorial honor lives lost in 1889

Jun. 1—Rob Koenigsberg stood on a sidewalk, lined with luminarias, near the Johnstown Flood National Memorial visitors center and pointed to three white bags with the names Regina Costlow, Zita Costlow and Michael Costlow written on them.

"They would be cousins of mine," Koenigsberg said.

The Costlows died during the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889, when the South Fork Dam broke, sending a churning wall of water through the Little Conemaugh River valley.

On Monday, guests visited the site of the dam to view the 2,209 luminarias — one for each person who died in the flood.

"They were killed in the flood obviously because their names are on the bags," said Koenigsberg, a Friends of Johnstown Flood National Memorial member.

"It's nice to know that they are remembered 132 years after it's over."

The luminarias have been lit every year since the 100th anniversary in 1989.

"It's one of the most important things we do every year because our main mission is to remember those lives lost in the flood," said Doug Bosley, a park ranger at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial.

"We invite the public to come out, see the bags that have the names written on."

Park rangers, Friends members, Forest Hills Elementary School students and Scouts all helped set up the lighted display on the remains of the dam and near the visitors center.

"This is something we actually look forward to doing every year because it's important for them to know the history of our area," said Missy Spaugy, an assistant scoutmaster with Boy Scouts Troop 2025 and leader of Girl Scouts Troop 60122.

Spaugy said volunteering at the event helps the children "get that understanding that people actually lost their lives and that there were children that lost their lives, too."

"That hits home for them," she said.

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.