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I wrote this Viewpoint
because I felt compelled to clarify some of the uninformed statements made about NIAGARA FALLS CANADA FLEA MARKETS. I hope you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical background
While the moniker “Niagara” is stated to come from an Iroquois word “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have discovered the folklore to be a more riveting story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden pledged by her father to an Indian warrior she despised. She opted to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of espousing a man she did not love. The history says that she paddled her canoe over the falls and into He-No’s arms. Together their souls will live forever in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You most likely already know that tourism is the regions chief source of income. This really began during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After our Civil War the railways began advertising the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to romanticise Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry savored a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the motorcar that provided a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area got much easier and was one of the best holiday destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new motorcars to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been trying to harness the monumental water flow as an eternal supply of energy. The first successful effort to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his lumbermill with a small man made channel. The major development came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla invented the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This applied science made it possible to transport electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls renders nearly 4.4GW of power to the encircling areas of both the United States and Canada.
Preservation efforts
Once Europeans started to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was quickly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to pull in a quick fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for development. This came at a toll to the raw beauty of the region. Fortunately a group of caring citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara campaign. This organization was successful in convincing the general public that Preservation of the area was in its best concern.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, started purchasing land from developers in an effort to retard the consuming development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each organizations have been enormously successful at upholding the area and curtailing development so that new generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonder.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a deep chronicle of romance and adventure to a major natural wonder. If your debating a holiday to the region, I’m sure you’ll be able to find plenty to do. I have listed a few effective books at the closing of this article or you can visit Amazon for a overall list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget to depart 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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