Herb Pfuhl

Life & Legacy

Herbert Pfuhl Jr. (April 25, 1928 – August 18, 2011) was an American politician and teacher. Pfuhl was the longest serving Mayor of Johnstown, Pennsylvania in the municipality's history, serving six terms as head of the city from 1971 to 1977 and again from 1982 to his retirement in 1993.
Pfuhl faced major challenges during his two-decade long career as the elected chief of Johnstown, including population decline, the 1977 Johnstown flood and the collapse of the steel industry, which included one of the city's biggest employers, Bethlehem Steel. However, Pfuhl has been credited with having revitalized downtown Johnstown's business district and successfully lobbying for millions in aid from the U.S. federal government for economic development.