Niagara Falls is located on the U.S.-Canada border.
Niagara Falls is composed of two waterfalls, the American Falls and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. On either side of the Niagara River are Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York.
Geological History
Niagara Falls is about 12,000 years old, forming when melting glaciers created the Great Lakes. The downhill terrain caused water to rush into Lake Ontario and as it passed over the Niagara Escarpment the falls were created. Water has eroded the landscape and formed the Niagara Gorge, and the Falls continue to creep towards Lake Erie.
Early Settlement
View of the Niagara Falls, Canada skyline.
Known to European explorers since the early 1600s, Niagara Falls was also one of the first European settlement areas in Canada with many early settlers being British Loyalists arriving before and after the American Revolution. It was also the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812. As settlements in the area grew in the mid-1800s, the first of several bridges connecting Canada and the United States was built in 1849. By 1906 hydro-electric generating plants began operating and water from the Falls continues to power Southern Ontario and Western New York.
Tourist Attraction
The Maid of the Mist near the American Falls.
Until the construction of the Statue of Liberty in 1886, Niagara Falls was the symbol of America. Many people have attempted death-defying performances at the Falls, including Charles Blondin who performed tight-rope crossings during the mid-1800s. In 1901, Annie Taylor was the first person to travel over the Falls in a barrel. One of the first purpose-built tourist attractions, the Louis Tussaud's English Wax Museum, opened in 1959. Today, tourist attractions include the Maid of the Mist boat excursions on the Niagara River.
Tags: Niagara Falls, American Falls, Maid Mist, Niagara River, tourist attractions
