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I wrote this Editorial
because many people seem to be missing information about The Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge. With any luck you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical background
While the moniker “Niagara” is supposed to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have observed the folklore to be a more appealing story. The legend from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden bespoken by her father to an Indian warrior she despised. She opted to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of marrying 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 evermore in the Thunder God’s refuge behind the Falls.
You in all probability 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 country's Civil War the railroads began advertising the area as a vacation spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to romanticize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The touristry industry savored another boom immediately after World War One. It was the motorcar that rendered 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 autos to.
Almost from the instance that Niagara Falls was found man has been attempting to harness the monumental water flow as an perpetual 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 small man made channel. The major development came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla invented the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This engineering science made it possible to transfer electrical energy over long distances. Today Niagara Falls furnishes just about 4.4GW of power to the surrounding areas of both the United States and Canada.
Conservation efforts
Once Europeans commenced 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 development. This came at a price to the raw beauty of the area. Fortunately a group of worried citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara crusade. This organisation was successful in convincing the general community that Conservation of the area was in its best interest.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, engaged by New York State, started buying land from developers in an movement to retard the consuming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both establishments have been enormously successful at keeping up the area and limiting development so that succeeding generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonderment.
Niagara has so much to offer. From a deep history of romance and adventure to a true natural wonder. If your debating a holiday to the vicinity, I’m certain you’ll be able to discover plenty to do. I have named various fine books at the conclusion of this article or you can visit Amazon for a total 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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