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I wrote this Editorial
because I want to share what I thought about niagara falls canada trip reports. Hopefully 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 discovered the folklore to be a more appealing 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 story says that she paddled her canoe over the falls and into He-No’s arms. Together their souls will live always in the Thunder God’s sanctuary behind the Falls.
You likely already know that tourism is the areas principal source of income. This really began 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 publicizing the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to romanticise Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The touristry industry enjoyed a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the auto that rendered 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 discovered man has been trying to harness the massive 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 sawmill with a small man made canal. The major evolution came in 1883 when Nikola Tesla invented the three-phase system of alternating current power transmission. This technology made it possible to transport electricity over long distances. Today Niagara Falls provides just about 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Conservation efforts
Once Europeans started to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was promptly targeted by developers and enterprisers 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 development. This came at a toll to the raw beauty of the region. Fortunately a group of caring citizens guided by noted artist Frederick Church organized the Free Niagara social movement. This administration 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 attempt to slow the consuming development in the region. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Each establishments have been staggeringly successful at maintaining the area and restricting exploitation so that the next generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonderment.
Niagara has so much to offer. From a rich story of romance and adventure to a major natural wonder. If your debating a holiday to the vicinity, I’m sure you’ll be able to find enough to do. I have named several adept books at the conclusion of this article or you can visit Amazon for a overall 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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