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I wrote this Commentary
because many people seem to be missing information about Niagara Falls state park New York history. With any luck you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical backdrop
While the moniker “Niagara” is alleged to come from an Iroquois word “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have found the folklore to be a more interesting story. The legend from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden pledged by her father to an Indian warrior she abhorred. She chose to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of wedding 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 eternally in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You in all probability already know that tourism is the regions main source of income. This really started during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After our country's Civil War the railways began advertising the area as a vacation spot. It wasn't hard given the history to romanticise Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry savored another boom immediately after World War One. It was the auto that provided a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area turned much easier and was one of the best vacation destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new motorcars to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was found man has been seeking to rule the massive water flow as an endless supply of energy. The first successful effort 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 development came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla devised the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This applied science made it possible to transmit electrical energy over long distances. Today Niagara Falls renders close to 4.4GW of power to the bordering areas of both the United States and Canada.
Conservation efforts
Once Europeans commenced to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was rapidly targeted by developers and enterprisers alike as a way to attain a speedy fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for development. This came at a price to the raw beauty of the region. Luckily a group of concerned citizens guided by noted artist Frederick Church organized the Free Niagara effort. This organisation was successful in convincing the general community that Preservation of the area was in its best concern.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, commenced buying land from developers in an effort to retard the overwhelming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each governances have been tremendously successful at preserving the area and curtailing growth so that new 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 debating a holiday to the metropolitan area, I’m sure you’ll be able to locate plenty to do. I have named many effective books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a complete list of books on Niagara Falls. Please remember to depart the area as decent 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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