It was a cold and wintry February
afternoon in Johnstown. An incredible snowstorm had just dumped a couple inches
of snow on the city within minutes. While it was not conducive for walking
outdoors, I decided to trek a few blocks to consider the statute of a dog I saw
while driving into town. After finding a parking spot, I braved the high winds
to inspect and photograph Morley’s Dog, a nineteenth century lawn ornament that
has become famous in this central Pennsylvania town.
The dog originally sat on the front
lawn of James Morley and was washed away in the famous Johnstown Flood of 1889.
After the flood it found in a debris pile at the Stone Arch Bridge and returned
to its owner. Various stories arose (some erroneously suggesting that the dog
had saved people during the flood) and people grew fond of the statue. The dog
was passed down through Morley’s family and finally donated to the city in the
1940s.
The dog had a cameo in the film Slap Shot, which was filmed
in Johnstown in the 1970s. The statue has had to be repaired several times and
its makers probably never intended for it to survive so long. Today, located at
the corner of Main and Market Streets, the dog (a testament to our love of our
canine friends) watches over the city. Or, at least what he can see looking
over the snow.
