In order to save a piece of Johnstown’s history, the Ludwig House, David Santa enlisted help.

World-renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht spoke at a benefit dinner in Johnstown Tuesday evening.

He discussed high-profile cases he worked on, including the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert Kennedy and the O.J. Simpson case. 

“I sent Dr. Wecht all the information on the Ludwig House and he was very excited to be a part of raising money for the home,” said David Santa, the man spearheading the efforts to restore the Ludwig House.

The Ludwig House has ties to the 1889 flood and relief efforts by Clara Barton and the American Red Cross.

“Part of revitalizing Johnstown is dealing with its history and its historic buildings. You can’t just tear down buildings in Johnstown. You’d lose all the character,” said Richard Burkert, the president of the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, which owns the Ludwig House.

Santa said restoring the Ludwig home is just a start. He would like to see the surrounding area developed. He said events like Dr. Wecht’s presentation encourage residents and outsiders to invest in the city.

“This is what Johnstown needs. It needs cool events to get people to come and also bring attention to Johnstown. Bringing Cyril Wecht to Johnstown brings a national spotlight to the area,” Santa said.

Although Santa plans to move back to Pittsburgh in a few months to be closer to his work, he said he is still committed to restoring the building.

“I’ll still be coming to Johnstown to make sure this house gets done in a timely manner,” Santa said.

Volunteers have raised several thousand dollars. They need about $300,000-$400,000.

Santa said other fundraisers are in the works to restore this part of Johnstown’s past and build a better future.

“Our town is such a beautiful place. We just need some energy down here,” Santa said.

Anyone who would like to volunteer or donate money for the Ludwig House restoration can contact the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. You can call JAHA at: 814-539-1889.