Schmap Niagara Falls Historical Background

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Niagara Falls - Historical Background
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In geological terms, today's spectacular cascades of roaring water known as Niagara Falls are relatively young, having been formed a mere 12,000 years ago by the glaciers that created the Niagara River. Coincidentally, it is believed that the first people to settle in and around the area arrived at the same time—and probably witnessed the birth of the Falls! These people, known as the Clovis, were Nomadic hunters who survived by following the herds of giant caribou, mastodons and elk.

About 9,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers replaced the Clovis and lived on nuts, fruits and small animals in the winter and fish in the summer. Those we would recognize as modern native people came upon the scene around 3,000 years ago, and their culture, which was ultimately doomed by the arrival of white explorers, missionaries and settlers, culminated approximately 300-400 years ago in the Iroquois Confederation.

Although some historians argue that Etiènne Brulé may have been the first explorer to look upon the Falls in 1615, that honour usually goes to a Recollet priest by the name of Louis Hennepin. Hennepin came upon the falls in 1678 and recorded the fact in a book that would make him famous across Europe and would come to have his name on numerous parks and streets throughout the Niagara Region, including Hennepin Park in Buffalo.

Thanks to another priest, the Jesuit Gabriel Lalemant, the Falls already had a name: the Iroquois Onguiaahra, meaning "the strait" or more excitingly, "thunder of waters." This quickly devolved into the more easily pronounceable "Niagara."

The Roar of Cannons

The roar of the mighty cataract isn't the only one to have been heard down through the years. There have also been cannons and musket fire, in particular during the War of 1812, the last war to be fought between the neighbours. In this war, fought around the Niagara region over a period of two years, Canada (still part of the British Empire, of course) can claim to have battled the Americans to a standstill.

Following a declaration of war by American President James Madison, troops invaded the British side of the Niagara River. Pitched battles were fought from Fort Erie to Queenston Heights Park and from Fort George to Lundy's Lane, which is considered by many historians to have been the pivotal battle in the war. It is memorialised in the Lundy's Lane Historical Museum, built atop the actual battlefield (now part of downtown Niagara Falls). There's also a monument to British commander Sir Isaac Brock, whose troops retook Queenston after the general was felled by a sniper's bullet.

After the war, the area rebuilt and developed rapidly thanks to the unbeatable combination of natural beauty, strategic positioning, cheap transportation and energy, the opening of the Welland and Erie Canals and the lure of industrial development along the border. It was also at around this time that the Falls started to become a destination point for honeymooners and other tourists. In fact, by the 1870s, Niagara Falls' main industry was tourism. Even though the lure of the Falls for newlyweds has waned, an estimated 50,000 couples still celebrate the start of their married lives here each year.

Daredevilry and Tight Spaces

The Falls have long served as a lure for another type of tourist—the intrepid daredevil. Over the last 150 years, daring (some would say foolhardy) souls have gone over the Falls by the dozens in every contraption known to humanity. Some have died in the attempt; others like 63-year-old widowed schoolteacher Annie Taylor, the first person to survive a plunge over the Falls in a barrel, made history and gained fame, if not much fortune.

In the summer of 1859, the French tightrope walker known as the Great Blondin put on a display that has never been equalled. In his first crossing on June 30, he walked to the centre of the rope strung across the Whirlpool Rapids just below the Falls and executed a back somersault! Then, on successive crossings, he performed on a bicycle, blindfolded, with his hands and his feet manacled, with a stop at the centre to cook an omelette and finally, on August 19, he went across the expanse with his manager on his back! There are several museums and displays where these feats are immortalized, including the Daredevil Hall of Fame and the Daredevil Museum of Niagara Falls.

The list of famous people who have made the trek to the Falls is also impressive and includes Charles Dickens in 1842, Queen Victoria's father in 1891, Sir Winston Churchill in 1943 and the present Queen Elizabeth in 1951, when she was just a princess. On October 23, 1991, Princess Diana and her two sons visited the Canadian side and took the Falls Incline Railway at Table Rock, the Journey Behind The Falls and the Maid of the Mist boat ride before stopping for a spot of lunch at the Victoria Park Restaurant.

While all this human activity has been going on around them, the Falls have also been busy in the last 12,000 years. In fact, the Falls started out where the towns of Queenston on the Canadian side and Lewiston on the American side are located today. That's about 11 kilometres from the Falls' present position. Until the early 1950s, the rate of erosion was about one metre per year; now, thanks to water flow control and hydroelectric generating stations, the erosion is down to about three centimetres per year. That's good news for those who want to continue to enjoy the Falls for many centuries to come!

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Brock's Monument

Tribute to glorious victory

Niagara Parkway
At Hwy 405
Niagara Falls, ON L0S 1L0
Canada
+1 905 468 4258
http://www.niagaraparks.com

Situated within Queenston Heights Park about 10 kilometres north of the Falls, this monument serves as a tribute to Major-General Isaac Brock, the British commander who lost his life here defending the area during the War of 1812. Fifty-six metres high, the impressive monument was built in 1856 and replaces an earlier one blown up by a massive gunpowder blast in 1840. The park itself, maintained by the Niagara Parks Commission, features the beginning of the Bruce Trail as well as the Queenston Heights Restaurant.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Lindsay D

Photo: Ryan Maloney

Photo: James Anok

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Photo: Tony Burnett

Brock's Monument photo by Steve Sherlock

Photo: Steve Sherlock

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Daredevil Hall of Fame

Having barrels of fun 5651 River Road
At Hwy 420
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6V8
Canada
+1 716 285 4898 (U.S.)/ +1 905 356 2151 (Can)
http://www.daredevilhalloffame... This museum is dedicated to those who have tried to tame the Niagara Falls in some way; be it Nicola Tesla and his power generation, or Sam Patch who, in 1829, jumped from a 70 foot high platform into the Niagara River. The museum has gone from a series of historic daredevil displays to a true hall of fame with induction ceremonies for present-day heroes who've taken the plunge. Located beneath the Rainbow Bridge not far from the Niagara Falls, the museum has hundreds of photos, artifacts, videos and memorabilia.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Edgewater's Tap & Grill

Family dining at its best 6342 Niagara Pkwy
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X8
Canada
+1 905 356 2217 Situated in Queen Victoria Park, and facing the Falls, this restaurant offers fine family dining. Administered by the Niagara Parks Commission, the restaurant features cuisine made from the freshest seasonal ingredients, and a warm, welcoming wait staff amid an exquisite floral display. Nearby attractions include Skylon Tower, Maid of the Mist boat tour, and Niagara Parks Greenhouse.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Sue Yen

Falls Incline Railway

Funicular fun 7400 Portage Road
(Niagara Parks Commission)
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Canada
+1 877 642 7275
http://www.niagaraparks.com The last remaining local example from the Golden Age of funiculars in the late 19th century, this incline railway transports visitors from the Falls view area parking lot to the Table Rock observation plaza, a rise of 100 feet. The railway carries close to three-quarter million passengers a year for a trip that takes under a minute. Owned and operated by the Niagara Parks Commission, the railway began operating in 1966 and has been ferrying 1600 passengers an hour ever since.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Historic Fort George

Re-living the War of 1812 Niagara Parkway
(at John Street)
Niagara Falls, ON L0S 1J0
Canada
+1 905 468 4257
http://www.parkscanada.ca One of the strategic spots during the War of 1812, this fort, located in the Fort George National Historic Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake, features costumed guides and recreations of the key battles during that war. You'll find period music, crafts and food. This location served as the headquarters for Isaac Brock's British Army during the War and it was from here that he set out to defend the village of Queenston, as commemorated in Brock's Monument at Queenston Heights Park.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Mike Fitzpatrick
Photo: Mike Fitzpatrick
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Journey Behind The Falls

Thundering great fun 6650 Niagara Parkway
(Table Rock Complex)
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Canada
+1 905 351 0254 / +1 877 642 7275
http://www.niagaraparks.com/ This thundering adventure literally brings visitors beneath and behind the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, for a wild and wet time up close and personal with one of the world's natural wonders. Protected by rain gear included in the price of admission, visitors are taken 125 feet down and then another 650 feet through man-made tunnels. They come out at an observation area where the noise is deafening, the mist all-surrounding, and the view awe-inspiring. Audio tours are available in six languages.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Lewiston

Niagara Falls
Canada
North of Niagara Falls is Lewiston, NY, a city historically important to Niagara's industrial development and known for some of the best fishing in the region. It may also be a more efficient conduit into Canada since bridges in the city can become easily congested.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Sharon Porretta
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Lundy's Lane Historical Museum

Housed in an historic building 5810 Ferry St
At Sylvia Street
Niagara Falls, ON L2G 1S9
Canada
+1 905 358 5082 Featuring displays ranging from pioneer furniture, glass, and early tourism to the War of 1812, this museum offers more than 140 exhibits. It is housed in an historic 1874 cut-stone building close to the 1814 Battle of Lundy's Lane. Aside from battle artifacts, the museum also has a collection of toys, a Victorian parlour and travelling exhibits. One of the more interesting exhibits is the story of the development of Niagara Falls as one of the world's major tourist centres.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Anne Marie Halfpenny aka 2hlfpnys

Maid of the Mist

Mystical view of the Falls 151 Buffalo Ave
Niagara Falls, NY 14303
Canada
+1 716 284 8897
http://www.maidofthemist.com What do Teddy Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe and Diana, Princess of Wales, have in common? You guessed it. They've all taken rides on the Maid of the Mist—or rather one of seven Maids, which have been in service over the past 150 years. This world-famous boat takes its passengers right into the heart of the Falls. You can catch the boat on either the American or Canadian side, with boardings every 15 minutes between April and the end of October.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Niagara Falls

Spectacular natural wonder Niagara River Parkway
(Queen Victoria Park)
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Canada
+1 877 642 7275 (Toll Free)
http://www.niagaraparks.com/ It all began 12,000 years ago when a huge trench was carved to create Niagara Falls—spectacular natural wonder. At the time, the Falls were about 7 miles down river in the Lewiston-Queenston area. In their present position, the Horseshoe Falls (170 feet high and 2,500 feet wide) on the Canadian side and the American Bridal Veil Falls (180 feet tall and 1,100 feet wide) are eroding at the rate of about 6 feet each year. Together, they pour about 200,000 cubic feet of water every second over the brink. Come the Winter holiday season, the Falls are beguilingly decked out for the annual Winter Festival of Lights.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Old Fort Erie

Strategic Military Site 350 Lakeshore Rd
(At Dominion)
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Canada
+1 877 642 7275
http://www.niagaraparks.com/ Once an important military post during the War of 1812, this fort today serves as a faithful recreation of those times, complete with guards dressed in period clothing, rooms frozen in time and re-enactments of the battles of the day. Reconstructed and administered by the Niagara Parks Commission, the fort features a gift shop, snack bar, picnic area, and playground for kids. The fort is located on the shores of Lake Erie, directly across from Buffalo.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Queenston Heights Park

A monumental battle site Niagara Parkway at Route 81
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Canada
+1 877 642 7275
http://www.niagaraparks.com/ Scene of one of the fiercest battles in the War of 1812, this park located at the northern end of Niagara Falls along the river also marks the start of the Bruce Trail. The park features two significant monuments: one to Major-General Isaac Brock for his victory here; the other to Laura Secord, who warned the British that the Americans were about to attack. Fine dining in the park is available at the Queenston Heights Restaurant, featuring a spectacular view of the Niagara River.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Tony Juan
Photo: Tony Juan

Other Schmapplets in this city related to "Niagara Falls - Historical Background"
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls - Neighborhood Guide
Niagara Falls - Where to Stay
Niagara Falls - Dining & Drinking
Niagara Falls - Art & Entertainment
Other nearby cities:
Buffalo (30 miles)
Toronto (67 miles)
Detroit (335 miles)
Ottawa (377 miles)
Baltimore (472 miles)
Philadelphia (480 miles)
Washington DC (483 miles)
New York (501 miles)
Montreal (520 miles)
Richmond (633 miles)

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