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I wrote this Article
because I want to share what I thought about COUNTED CROSS STITCH OF NIAGARA FALLS. Hopefully you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical backdrop
While the moniker “Niagara” is alleged to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have noticed the folklore to be a more enthralling story. The legend from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden pledged by her father to an Indian warrior she loathed. She opted to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of marrying a man she did not love. The story says that she paddled her canoe over the falls and into He-No’s arms. Together their souls will live eternally in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You probably already know that tourism is the regions main source of income. This really commenced during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After our Civil War the railroads began publicising the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't hard given the history to glamorise Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry enjoyed a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the car that offered a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area got much easier and was one of the best vacation destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new cars to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been attempting to rule the monumental water flow as an perpetual supply of energy. The first successful attempt to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his sawmill with a modest man made canal. The major evolution came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla formulated the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This engineering made it possible to transmit electrical energy over long distances. Today Niagara Falls renders nearly 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Preservation efforts
Once Europeans began to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was rapidly targeted by developers and enterprisers alike as a way to realize a speedy fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for growth. This came at a cost to the innate beauty of the region. As luck would have it a group of caring citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara social movement. This organisation was successful in convincing the general public that Conservation of the area was in its best interest.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, set about purchasing land from developers in an endeavor to slow down the overwhelming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each establishments have been enormously successful at conserving the area and restraining growth so that the next generations will be able to enjoy this natural marvel.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a robust account of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your taking a holiday to the vicinity, I’m sure you’ll be able to discover plenty to do. I have numbered several good books at the closing of this article or you can visit Amazon for a entire list of books on Niagara Falls. Please remember to leave the area as nice as you encountered it and to leave the barrel at home.
Niagara Falls : An Intimate Portrait - by John Grant
Fodor's Toronto 2006 : With Niagara Falls & the Niagara Wine Region (Fodor's Gold Guides) - by Fodor's
In the Mad Water: Two Centuries of Adventure and Lunacy at Niagara Falls - by T. W. Kriner
Niagara Falls Volume II (Images of America) - by Daniel M. Dumych
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