|
I wrote this Viewpoint
because I want much more for you than just mindless content about Niagara Falls Canada Landforms. I hope you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical setting
While the moniker “Niagara” is told to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have discovered the folklore to be a more enthralling story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden affianced by her father to an Indian warrior she abhorred. She chose to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of marrying a man she did not love. The chronicle 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 probably already know that tourism is the regions chief source of income. This really started during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After our Civil War the railways began publicizing the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't hard given the history to romanticize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The touristry industry enjoyed another boom immediately after World War One. It was the car that supplied a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area went much easier and was one of the best holiday destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new automobiles to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was found man has been attempting to rule the monumental water flow as an eternal supply of energy. The first successful attempt to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his lumbermill with a minor man made canal. The major evolution came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla devised the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This engineering science made it possible to channel electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls furnishes around 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Conservation efforts
Once Europeans began to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was promptly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to gain a fast 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 raw beauty of the area. Fortunately a group of worried citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church organized the Free Niagara crusade. This administration was successful in convincing the general community that Conservation 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 attempt to retard the overwhelming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both organisations have been hugely successful at preserving the area and cutting back development so that the next generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonderment.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a robust history of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your shopping for a holiday to the area, I’m sure you’ll be able to discover plenty to do. I have named several fine books at the conclusion of this article or you can visit Amazon for a overall list of books on Niagara Falls. Please remember 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
|
