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I wrote this Article
because I felt compelled to clarify some of the uninformed statements made about buffalo niagara falls tourism. Hopefully you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical setting
While the moniker “Niagara” is stated to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have noticed the folklore to be a more stimulating story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden betrothed 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 eternally in the Thunder God’s refuge 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 Civil War the railroads began publicising the area as a vacation spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to romanticize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry savored another boom immediately after World War One. It was the automobile that offered 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 found man has been seeking to harness 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 little man made canal. The major growth came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla formulated 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 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 rapidly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to take in 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 innate beauty of the area. Luckily a group of worried citizens guided by noted artist Frederick Church conceived the Free Niagara social movement. This administration was successful in convincing the general populace that Preservation of the area was in its best interest.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, started out buying land from developers in an endeavor to retard the overpowering development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both governances have been staggeringly successful at conserving the area and curbing development so that succeeding generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonder.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a rich story of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your shopping for a vacation to the area, I’m sure you’ll be able to locate enough to do. I have named many good books at the conclusion of this article or you can visit Amazon for a total 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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