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I wrote this Article
because many people seem to be missing information about niagara falls ontario history. 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 noticed the folklore to be a more fascinating story. The fable from Native American Indians tells of Lelawala, a gorgeous maiden engaged by her father to an Indian warrior she abhorred. She opted to sacrifice herself to the Thunder God He-No instead of espousing a man she did not love. The chronicle 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 probably already know that tourism is the areas primary source of income. This really commenced during the early 1900's and even Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte visited with his bride. After our country's Civil War the railways began publicizing the area as a holiday spot. It wasn't difficult given the history to glamourize Niagara Falls as an idealistic honeymoon destination.
The tourism industry enjoyed a second boom immediately after World War One. It was the motorcar 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 cars to.
Almost from the instance that Niagara Falls was found man has been trying 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 sawmill with a modest 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 renders roughly 4.4GW of power to the encompassing areas of both the United States and Canada.
Conservation efforts
Once Europeans commenced to settle in the Niagara Falls area it was quickly targeted by developers and enterprisers alike as a way to bring in a fast fortune. Unlike today most of the land in the area was privately owned and was easily acquired for growth. This came at a cost to the natural beauty of the area. Fortunately a group of concerned citizens guided by noted artist Frederick Church forged the Free Niagara movement. This administration 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 effort to slow the overwhelming development in the area. The Canadians followed suit in the same year with the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park. Both organizations have been staggeringly successful at keeping up the area and restraining exploitation so that future generations will be able to enjoy this natural wonder.
Niagara has so much to offer. From a robust account of romance and adventure to a real natural wonder. If your taking a vacation to the metropolitan area, I’m sure you’ll be able to locate plenty to do. I have numbered a few fine books at the end of this article or you can visit Amazon for a total list of books on Niagara Falls. Please don't forget to depart 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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