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I wrote this Editorial
because I felt compelled to clarify some of the uninformed statements made about michaels inn niagara falls canada. Hopefully you'll find some
useful information to put to good use.
Historical backdrop
While the name “Niagara” is stated to come from an Iroquois phrase “Onguiaahra”, or “The Strait”, I have found the folklore to be a more gripping story. The legend from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden pledged by her father to an Indian warrior she hated. She chose 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 eternally in the Thunder God’s refuge behind the Falls.
You in all likelihood already know that tourism is the areas principal 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 publicising the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't hard given the history to romanticise Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The touristry industry savored another boom immediately after World War One. It was the automobile that provided a much need boost to the industry. Travel to the area went much easier and was one of the best vacation destinations that New Yorkers could drive their shiny new motorcars to.
Almost from the instance that Niagara Falls was discovered man has been seeking to rule the massive water flow as an endless 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 little 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 transmit electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls renders 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 rapidly targeted by developers and enterprisers alike as a way to gain 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 toll to the innate beauty of the area. Fortunately a group of caring citizens led by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara campaign. This establishment was successful in convincing the general public that Preservation 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 attempt to slow the overpowering development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both organizations have been tremendously successful at upholding the area and confining exploitation so that the next generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonderment.
Niagara has so much to offer. From a deep chronicle of romance and adventure to a major natural wonder. If your taking a vacation to the metropolitan area, I’m sure you’ll be able to locate enough to do. I have named a few fine books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a full list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget 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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