SOUTHMONT BOROUGH 

Our History

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Southmont Borough, so named because of its geographical location in relation to Johnstown, is one of the later day developments in the city's suburban perimiter. It was not incorporated until June 2, 1919, and most of its expansion as a residential community came after 1929. It has a population of less than 300 people in 1919 and now has upwards of 2,700. Like most of the present day residential areas outside the city proper, Southmont's first settlers were farmers. A number of Borough streets today bear the names of men who tilled the soil there over a half century ago. In 1900 there were approximately 15 farms scattered over the Borough, but by 1920 virtually all of them that were suitable have been turned into building sites.

So far as is known, Southmont's first settler was Yost Hochstein, who returned from the California gold fields with $3,000 in gold. In the early 1850's he purchased 140 acres, nearly one-fourth of the Borough's present land area. Within the next ten years William Ream purchased a farm in what is now known as the Haberlein district. Other early farmers were William Green, William and Rube Keller, Jonathan Gardner, Adam Keppler, Christopher Palliser, George Spangler, William Hochstein, Konrad Hochstein, John Miller, Samuel Miller, Frank Miller, William Wonder, Able Peden, Henry Koch and Adam Koch.

The transition from farm land was motivated by the late Franklin W. Otto, who promoted the residential development. By the personal acquisition of several farms and trough the facilities of Cambria Land and Improvement Company, of which he was president, Mr. Otto became the guiding force in the residential trend. Mr. otto launched his venture about 1905. Under his direction acreage was plotted, streets were laid out and Southmont Boulevard was planned and graded. He topped the springs and piped water to all parts of the Borough with power from a windmill which stood near Millcreek Road and Gardner Street. Maple trees were planted along the newly laid out street; building restrictions were set forth. C.P. Collins prepared the first Borough maps for Mr. Otto. Edward and Olive Streets were named after chilren of Mr. Otto. Mabel Street was named for Mrs. Collins, and Leila and Helen Streets were named for the Collins children.

When the Borough was incorporated, Mr. Otto became its first burgess. Other early council members and Borough officials were John H. Waters, John C. Cosgrove, John L. Hershberger, Marshall G. Moore, Dr. C.A. Matthews, Harry Doerr, Louis A. Geis, S.E. Dickey, Robert Shaffer, Park Haws, and Roy Wertiz. Before its incorporation in 1919, the Southmont development was a part of Upper Yoder Township. Two years later, in 1921, its corporate boundaries were extended with the acquisition of two other tracts located in the township.

One of these was the large Grandview Cemetery area, which now anchors the northeast corner of the Borough. The other was the Overbrook district just off Southmont Boulevard. This was a Bethlehem Steel Company housing development. In 1921 and 1922 the company constructed 89 houses in this section. A chapel was constructed in 1921. In 1928 the Borough purchased the first fire truck for the volunteer company organized in 1925. Although street car service to the Borough was started in 1914, it was not until 1921 that Southmont gained its first paved street, Southmont Boulevard.

The community's first school, Hochstein School on lower State Street, is said to have started in 1902. It graduated five eighth-grade students in 1908 who then finished their schooling in Johnstown High School. In 1913 a two room school was opened in what is now Southmont Municipal Building. When the Southmont School was opened for the 1925-26 term it contained ten grades. The first senior class was graduated in the spring of 1927. This school is now closed.