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I wrote this Editorial
because many people were confused about fun things to do in niagara falls ontario. I hope you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical backdrop
While the moniker “Niagara” is said to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have observed the folklore to be a more engrossing story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden bespoken by her father to an Indian warrior she loathed. 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 eternally 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 our country's Civil War the railroads began advertising the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to glamorize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry enjoyed another boom immediately after World War One. It was the car that rendered a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area turned much easier and was one of the best holiday destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new cars to.
Almost from the instance that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been attempting to rule the monumental 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 lumbermill with a modest man made channel. The major evolution came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla devised the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This engineering made it possible to transport electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls provides around 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Preservation efforts
Once Europeans started to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was rapidly targeted by developers and enterprisers alike as a way to produce a quick fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for growth. This came at a price to the raw beauty of the region. Fortunately a group of concerned citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara campaign. This establishment was successful in convincing the general populace that Conservation of the area was in its best concern.
In 1885 the Niagara Reservation State Park, chartered by New York State, set about buying land from developers in an effort to retard the consuming development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both establishments have been tremendously successful at preserving the area and curtailing exploitation so that the next generations will be able to enjoy this natural marvel.
Niagara has so very much to offer. From a rich history of romance and adventure to a major natural wonder. If your debating a vacation to the metropolitan area, I’m sure you’ll be able to find enough to do. I have named many good books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a total list of books on Niagara Falls. Please remember to depart the area as decent 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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