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I wrote this Viewpoint
because I want to share what I thought about dining in niagara falls ontario. I hope you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical background
While the moniker “Niagara” is said to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have noticed the folklore to be a more captivating story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden engaged by her father to an Indian warrior she loathed. She opted to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of espousing 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 forever in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You likely already know that tourism is the areas chief source of income. This really started during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After this country's Civil War the railroads began publicizing the area as a vacation spot. It wasn't hard given the history to glamorise Niagara Falls as an ideal honeymoon destination.
The touristry industry enjoyed a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the auto that supplied 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 automobiles to.
Almost from the time that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been attempting to rule the massive water flow as an perpetual supply of energy. The first successful campaign to use the falls as an energy source was documented in 1759 when Daniel Joncairs powered his lumbermill with a minor man made channel. The major evolution came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla invented the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This applied science made it possible to transfer electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls furnishes nearly 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Preservation efforts
Once Europeans began to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was quickly targeted by developers and entrepreneurs alike as a way to produce 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 toll to the innate beauty of the area. As luck would have it a group of concerned citizens guided by noted artist Frederick Church organized the Free Niagara campaign. This organization was successful in convincing the general community that Conservation of the area was in its best concern.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, engaged by New York State, started out purchasing land from developers in an endeavor to slow down the overpowering development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each establishments have been tremendously successful at keeping up the area and constraining growth so that future generations will be able to enjoy this natural marvel.
Niagara has so much to offer. From a deep chronicle of romance and adventure to a true natural wonder. If your taking a vacation to the vicinity, I’m sure you’ll be able to find enough to do. I have listed several fine books at the closing of this article or you can visit Amazon for a complete list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget to leave the area as decent 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
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