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I wrote this Commentary
because I felt compelled to clarify some of the uninformed statements made about bars Niagara Falls ontario. I hope you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical backdrop
While the name “Niagara” is told to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have observed the folklore to be a more fascinating story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden pledged by her father to an Indian warrior she detested. 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 evermore in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You likely 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 Civil War the railways began advertising the area as a vacation spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to glamorize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry savored a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the automobile 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 cars to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been seeking to rule the massive water flow as an eternal supply of energy. The first successful endeavor to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his sawmill with a modest man made channel. The major development came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla invented the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This technology made it possible to channel electrical energy over long distances. Today Niagara Falls furnishes approximately 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 promptly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to pull in 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 cost to the raw beauty of the area. Luckily a group of worried citizens directed by noted artist Frederick Church formed the Free Niagara effort. 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, chartered by New York State, set out buying land from developers in an movement to slow the overwhelming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both organizations have been enormously successful at maintaining the area and limiting exploitation so that new generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonderment.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a robust chronicle of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your shopping for a vacation to the metropolitan area, I’m certain you’ll be able to locate plenty to do. I have listed many good books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a absolute list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget to leave the area as nice as you found 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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