Posted: March 13, 2025 3:09 pm
by Amy Regan, Heritage Johnstown curator
For Women’s History Month, we’d like to share the story of artist Helen F. Price, who was born in Johnstown to Sarah Haws Price and Charles F. Price in 1892. Her parents survived the 1889 flood, and Charles S. Price wrote a letter to relatives in Greensburg, documenting their flood experience, which is held in the Heritage Johnstown Archives. After the flood, they built a house in Westmont at 510 Edgehill Drive, pictured here in 1892, the same year Helen was born.
Helen Price (1892-1960) was an artist, writer, and lecturer. Price published, “On the Hilltop” in 1927. She spoke to Westmont students in 1936 about the newspaper writing process as she wrote a column for the Johnstown Tribune called, “The Echo”. For Helen F. Price’s full biography please see the Johnstown Branch American Association of University Women’s book, Women of Cambria County Their Work- Their History- Their Contributions, 1770 to 1987 available on aauwjohnstown.org.
Heritage Johnstown holds several of her paintings, including “Huston Homestead” and “C. A. Croyle Farm”. Price typically painted cabins and farms. “Huston Homestead” was painted in 1946 and on the back lists several organizations she was part of, including The National Association of Women Artists N. Y. City, The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, The Allied Artist of Johnstown, and Allied Artists of America N. Y. City.
