Hydro Power
Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse built the first hydro-electric power plant in Niagara Falls and started the electrification of the world.
Niagara Falls Freeze – Polar Vortex
The water in the Niagara River moves very fast, moving an average of 212,000 cubic feet of water per second. It's moving far too fast and pushing way too much water to ever freeze. In late December an ice bridge forms
Niagara Daredevils
Many daredevils have made crossing the Falls their goal. It began with with the successful crossing by Jean Fran¨∞ois Blondin" Gravelet in 1859 Tightrope walkers have drawn large crowds to their exploits. Matthew Webb, from England who the first man
Turning off the Niagara Falls
From April through October, during tourist season, the water flows at a rate of 100,000 cubic feet per second. Canadian and American governments made an agreement that the flow would stay at this rate throughout the tourist season. The Falls
Niagara Falls History
The Niagara region's original inhabitants were the Ongiara, an Iroquois tribe named the Neutrals by French explorers, who found them helpful in mediating disputes with other tribes. The name Niagara" is said to originate from an Iroquois word meaning "thunder
Do the fish go over the falls?
Yes, they do. Most survive the hard journey over the falls, sometimes laying stunned for a few minutes at the bottom before continuing their journey down the river. Since water is the natural habitat for fish and they are much more
Falls Erosion
How much does Niagara Falls erode each year? Studies to determine how much erosion was taking place were started in 1842. Between that year and 1905 erosion took place at the rate of 1.16 meters, or 3.8 feet per year, at
Falls Boundry
The current boundary line is determined by the Treaty of Ghent made December 24th 1814. The international boundary is set right down the middle of the river between lakes Erie and Ontario. With this division, the U.S. ended up with
Falls No Flow
There have only been 3 times that we know of where the Falls have either completely ran dry or were reduced to a trickle. Accounts of the time the Falls ran dry are incomplete at best. According to newspapers of the
First Visitors
A number of historical reports say that the first European to visit the Falls was a Jesuit Priest by the name of Father Louis Hennepin in 1678, however many believe the first European visitor appeared at the Falls a number
Niagara River
In the 1960s the Welland Canal was improved and incorporated into the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Ships can now bypass Niagara Falls. Up until the 1970's with the help of the electric power produced by the river, industries in the Niagara River
Falls Foam
What's foam in the water below the Falls? The foam is calcium carbonate that comes from the mist as it evaporates when it comes over the Falls. It mixes with decaying diatoms and other algae to make the foam. This is
Daredevil Law
According to Ontario Regulation 829/90 which governs activities in the park, it is a provincial offense, comparable to getting a ticket for speeding, to do anything that might draw a crowd or to perform any stunt or feat without getting
Formation of Falls
The Niagara Falls started some 10,000 years ago in the Wisconsin glaciation period. Both the North American Great Lakes and the Niagara River are the results of this last continental ice sheet, a huge glacier that swept across the area
Who Owns the Niagara Falls?
Who owns the Niagara Falls? The U.S. Geological Survey maps of Niagara Falls (up to and including the current ones) show about two-thirds of Horseshoe Falls is in Canada, but about one-third in the U.S. More used to be in