Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a stunning natural wonder comprising three significant waterfalls located on the Niagara River, straddling the border between the United States and Canada. The most prominent among them are the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls, which draw millions of visitors each year. Formed approximately ten thousand years ago at the end of the last ice age, the falls are fed by waters from the Great Lakes. The total height of the American Falls is 51 meters (167 feet), while the Horseshoe Falls reaches 48 meters (158 feet), making them remarkable landmarks in North America.
The area surrounding Niagara Falls is primarily parkland, offering picturesque views and recreational opportunities. Historically significant, the name "Niagara" is derived from the First Nations' term meaning "thunder of waters." The falls have also become known as the "Honeymoon Capital of the World," attracting couples since the early 1800s. Additionally, Niagara Falls is a vital source of hydroelectric power, with both Canada and the United States sharing the waterpower generated from the falls. Today, visitors can take cruises or flights for breathtaking views of this natural spectacle, though stunts such as going over the falls are prohibited.
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Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a set of three massive waterfalls on the Niagara River, located at the border of the United States and Canada. The American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls (or Canadian Falls) are some of the most spectacular landmarks in North America.
The falls were formed at the end of the last ice age, approximately ten thousand years ago, as the glaciers receded. The water that flows over the falls comes from the Great Lakes. The Welland Canal, originally built in the 1820s, allows ships to bypass Niagara Falls.
Geography
The American Falls are 51 meters (167 feet) high and 323 meters (1,060 feet) wide. The Horseshoe or Canadian Falls are 48 meters (158 feet) high and 792 meters (2,600 feet) wide. The Bridal Veil Falls are 55 meters (181 feet ) high and 17 meters (56 feet) wide. The falls split at Goat Island: the American and Bridal Falls are to the east and the Horseshoe Falls are to the west.
Two cities face each other across the falls. On the river's northern bank is Niagara Falls, Ontario, and on the southern bank is Niagara Falls, New York. Much of the land surrounding the falls is parkland, controlled by the state of New York and the province of Ontario. The first park was built there in 1885.
The falls are economically important as a major source of hydroelectric power. Canada and the United States have signed a treaty which calls for the neighboring countries to share the waterpower equally. The falls' total generating capacity is around 4.4 million kilowatts (around 5 million horsepower).
"Thunder of Waters"
The name Niagara is reportedly of First Nations origin, meaning "thunder of waters" in the language of the Ongiara, an Iroquois tribe that was friendly to the early French settlers. The legend of the Maid of the Mist, a woman who fell into the falls, reputedly comes from the Ongiara.
For over two hundred years, the falls have been attracting tourists, especially honeymooners. In fact, Niagara has been nicknamed the Honeymoon Capital of the World. Among the first to honeymoon there was Jerome Bonaparte, the youngest brother of the French emperor Napoleon I, who visited in 1803 after marrying Elizabeth "Betsy" Patterson, the daughter of a wealthy Baltimore, Maryland, merchant.
It was during the mid-nineteenth century that honeymooning became an important phenomenon in American culture, thanks in part to improvements in transportation. Niagara became particularly prominent as a honeymoon destination in the early twentieth century, with the rise of the automobile and the development of roadside attractions.
Others attracted to the falls are daredevils, who have sought since the early nineteenth century to go over the falls or to walk across them on high wires. It is illegal to attempt to jump the falls, as stunts were banned in 1912. However, tourism companies still offer cruises or flights to view the falls.
Bibliography
Berton, Pierre. Niagara: A History of the Falls. Double Day, 2011.
Gromosiak, Paul, and Christopher Stoianoff. Niagara Falls: 1850–2000. Arcadia, 2012.
"Journey to the Past: The Authentic Story of Niagara's Maid of the Mist." Niagra Action, 29 Dec. 2023, www.niagaraaction.com/journey-into-niagara-s-past-the-authentic-story-of-the-maid-of-the-mist. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
Leibach, Julie. “Niagara Falls State Park Turns 125.” Audubon Magazine, Natl. Audubon Soc., vol. 16, no. 12, 2010, pp. 16–19.
Marsh, James, and Keith Tinkler. “Niagara Falls (Waterfalls).” Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, 22 June 2023, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/niagara-falls/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
“Niagara Falls Facts.” Niagara Falls, Canada, Corporation of the City of Niagara Falls, niagarafalls.ca/living/about-niagara-falls/facts.aspx. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.