Fixing Niagara Falls

Fixing Niagara Falls

Author: Daniel Macfarlane

Publisher: UBC Press

Published: 2020-09-01

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 0774864257

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Since the late nineteenth century, Niagara Falls has been heavily engineered to generate energy behind a flowing façade designed to appeal to tourists. Fixing Niagara Falls reveals the technological feats and cross-border politics that facilitated the transformation of one of the most important natural sites in North America. Daniel Macfarlane details how engineers, bureaucrats, and politicians conspired to manipulate the world’s most famous waterfall. Essentially, they turned this natural wonder into a tap: huge tunnels divert the waters of the Niagara River around the Falls, which ebb and flow according to the tourism calendar. To hide the visual impact of diverting the majority of the water, the United States and Canada cooperated to install massive control works while reshaping and shrinking the Horseshoe Falls. This book offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective on how the Niagara landscape ultimately embodies both the power of technology and the power of nature.


Waterfalls of New York State

Waterfalls of New York State

Author: Scott A. Ensminger

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781554079865

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Features more than 100 scenic waterfall destinations throughout New York State. New York State is home to arguably the most famous waterfall in the world, Niagara Falls. But thanks to its diverse terrain and an abundance of rivers and streams, the state also boasts more than 2,000 other waterfalls. From delicate cascades to thundering cataracts, each has its own compelling story. Waterfalls of New York State is a celebration of more than 100 of the Empire State's most beautiful and interesting falls, presented by three long-time waterfall enthusiasts who know their subject matter firsthand: Edward Smathers tackles the Capital and Hudson Valley regions; Scott Ensminger reports on the Finger Lakes and Greater Niagara; and David Schryver covers the North Country. Each waterfall is presented on a two-page spread with a full-page color photograph and descriptive text that includes details about the geology of the falls, local history, driving directions, access information, suggestions for the best vantage point for viewing, as well as other area interests. Sidebars feature handy at-a-glance information, such as the nearest settlement, walk time, trail conditions, GPS coordinates and the size and type of waterfall. Filled with gorgeous photographs and featuring regional location maps, Waterfalls of New York State is a valuable regional travel guide for weekend explorers, fans of waterfalls, visitors and armchair travelers. Canadian travelers from Quebec and Ontario will appreciate the many day trips available just over the border.


Inventing Niagara

Inventing Niagara

Author: Ginger Strand

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2008-05-06

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 1416564810

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Americans call Niagara Falls a natural wonder, but the Falls aren't very natural anymore. In fact, they are a study in artifice. Water diverted, riverbed reshaped, brink stabilized and landscape redesigned, the Falls are more a monument to man's meddling than to nature's strength. Held up as an example of something real, they are hemmed in with fakery -- waxworks, haunted houses, IMAX films and ersatz Indian tales. A symbol of American manifest destiny, they are shared politely with Canada. Emblem of nature's power, they are completely human-controlled. Archetype of natural beauty, they belie an ugly environmental legacy still bubbling up from below. On every level, Niagara Falls is a monument to how America falsifies nature, reshaping its contours and redirecting its force while claiming to submit to its will. Combining history, reportage and personal narrative, Inventing Niagara traces Niagara's journey from sublime icon to engineering marvel to camp spectacle. Along the way, Ginger Strand uncovers the hidden history of America's waterfall: the Mohawk chief who wrested the Falls from his adopted tribe, the revered town father who secretly assisted slave catchers, the wartime workers who unknowingly helped build the Bomb and the building contractor who bought and sold a pharaoh. With an uncanny ability to zero in on the buried truth, Strand introduces us to underwater dams, freaks of nature, mythical maidens and 280,000 radioactive mice buried at Niagara. From LaSalle to Lincoln to Los Alamos, Mohawks to Marilyn, Niagara's story is America's story, a tale of dreams founded on the mastery of nature. At a time of increasing environmental crisis, Inventing Niagara shows us how understanding the cultural history of nature might help us rethink our place in it today.


Niagara

Niagara

Author: Pierre Berton

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2010-03-31

Total Pages: 509

ISBN-13: 1438429304

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A sweeping history of this natural wonder, from its geological beginnings to the present. "The noble cataract reflects the concerns, failings, and fancies of the times. If we gaze deeply into its shimmering image we can perhaps discern our own." - page 22 “[Pierre Berton] makes a serious and convincing case for Niagara's pivotal role in North American history. ... His Niagara is a lodestar for North American culture and invention: site of the first railway suspension bridge, inspiration for Nikola Tesla's discovery of the principle of alternating current, and the subject of Frederic Church's most celebrated landscape; a natural wonder that has bewitched generations of scientists, authors, and utopians, and stimulated innovations and social movements still casting long shadows. ... surprising, rich and engrossing.” -- Thurston Clarke, New York Times Book Review “Canadian historian Berton tells dozens of absorbing tales about the region and those who passed through it ... He tells them all superbly, aided by essential maps and a few reproductions of posters advertising some of the more bizarre stunts.” -- Publishers Weekly “Entertaining. . . . Berton brings to life the adventurers and dreamers, visionaries and industrialists, who over centuries have been drawn to the Falls.” -- Maclean’s "Berton at his storytelling best; there is something here for everyone. ... a vintage, full-bodied read." -- The London Free Press "A book worth diving into." -- Calgary Herald "By turns ironic, amused, shocked, horrified and awestruck, Berton traces Niagara's history through the deeds of those who came in contact with it ... all the while walking the fine line between detachment and emotion with agility and grace." -- The Whig-Standard (Kingston) Pierre Berton was one of Canada’s most popular and prolific authors, and is widely credited with popularizing Canadian history. His previous books include The Wild Frontier, Prisoners of the North, Klondike, The Invasion of Canada, and The Great Depression.


Blacks in Niagara Falls

Blacks in Niagara Falls

Author: Michael B. Boston

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2021-08-16

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 1438484631

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Blacks in Niagara Falls narrates and analyzes the history of Black Niagarans from the days of the Underground Railroad to the Age of Urban Renewal. Michael B. Boston details how Black Niagarans found themselves on the margins of society from the earliest days to how they came together as a community to proactively fight and struggle to obtain an equal share of society's opportunities. Boston explores how Blacks came to Niagara Falls in increasing numbers usually in search of economic opportunities, later establishing essential institutions, such as churches and community centers, which manifested and reinforced their values, and interacted with the broader community, seeking an equitable share of other society opportunities. This singular examination of a small city significantly contributes to Urban History and African American Studies scholarly research, which generally focuses on large cities. Combining primary source data with extensive interviews gathered over an eighteen-year period in which the author immersed himself in the Niagara community, Blacks in Niagara Falls offers an insightful study of how one small city community grew over its unique history.


The Hudson River to Niagara Falls

The Hudson River to Niagara Falls

Author: Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2009-07-23

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 9780615258348

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A stunning selection of paintings by Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, John W. Casilear, George Inness, and others, depicting landscapes, historic sites, natural wonders, and waterways of New York State.


Ultimate Journeys for Two

Ultimate Journeys for Two

Author: Mike Howard

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 1426218397

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Written by the founders of HoneyTrek.com, this inspiring book reveals hidden-gem destinations and insider tips for unforgettable couples travel. In these informative pages, Mike and Anne Howard--officially the World's Longest Honeymooners and founders of the acclaimed travel blog HoneyTrek--whisk you away to journeys of a lifetime. Drawing on their experience traveling together across seven continents, they curate the globe and offer tested-and-approved recommendations for intrepid couples, bringing culture, adventure, and romance to any couple--no matter their age or budget. Chapters are organized by type of destination (for example, beaches, mountains, and deserts) to help travelers discover new places and experiences based on their interests. Each entry focuses on a specific region, getting to the essence of each locale and its one-of-a-kind offerings. The authors reveal the best time to visit, the best places to stay, and recommended activities--each with their own adventure rating to illustrate level of intensity. Special features include funny and insightful stories from the Howards' own adventures, expert advice from other renowned traveling couples, and tips to increase the romance and excitement at each destination. A large map shows every location covered in the book, and each entry has a locator map depicting the city and country. Both entertaining and informative, this book is an invaluable resource and inspiration for a lifetime of travel.