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I wrote this Point of View
because I want much more for you than just mindless content about Hilton Garden Inn Niagara Falls Ontario. Hopefully you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical setting
While the name “Niagara” is stated to come from an Iroquois word “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have observed the folklore to be a more exciting story. The fable 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 tale says that she paddled her canoe over the falls and into He-No’s arms. Together their souls will live always in the Thunder God’s refuge behind the Falls.
You probably already know that tourism is the areas main source of income. This really started during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After this country's Civil War the railroads began publicizing the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to romanticize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry savored a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the auto that supplied a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area became much easier and was one of the best vacation destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new motorcars to.
Almost from the instance that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been attempting to harness the monumental water flow as an eternal supply of energy. The first successful campaign to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his lumbermill with a little man made canal. The major growth came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla devised the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This engineering made it possible to transfer electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls furnishes just about 4.4GW of power to the bordering areas of both the United States and Canada.
Preservation efforts
Once Europeans commenced to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was rapidly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to take in a quick fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for growth. This came at a price to the natural beauty of the region. As luck would have it a group of caring citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church organized the Free Niagara drive. This organisation was successful in convincing the general populace that Conservation of the area was in its best concern.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, commenced purchasing land from developers in an effort to slow the overwhelming development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each governances have been hugely successful at conserving the area and limiting development so that future generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonder.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a deep story of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your shopping for a holiday to the vicinity, I’m sure you’ll be able to locate enough to do. I have numbered several fine books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a total list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget to leave the area as nice as you discovered 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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