The famous Niagara Falls along the American/Canadian border is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the world. The immense waterfalls are so powerful that most people have to wear rain gear when they're visiting. This tourist destination is a hot spot for family and friends, but there's a dark and gloomy history that lurks beneath the surface...
The Day The Niagara Falls Stopped
In June of 1969, a team of engineers was successful in their task of stopping the flow of the famous Niagara Falls. Locals noticed that something was happening to the powerful falls and wanted professionals to get to the bottom of it. Not only did they figure out what was wrong, but they found out something troubling...
One of the Largest Tourist Attractions
Every year, millions of tourists flock to see natural beauty. It's been around for 18,000 years but was discovered in 1678 by traveling Europeans. They set up shop right next to the Falls and called the area New France. Father Louis Hennepin was the first to record the spectacle in his book, A New Discovery.
Time Goes On
As people slowly colonized the area, more attention was brought to the incredible falls. Once railroads became a thing and information was able to travel quickly, more people began to take trips to see the Falls. Since it was on the border of North America and Canada, people from both countries were commonly seen there.
Tourist Destination
At the end of the 19th century, industrialization was rampant throughout the area. In fact, people already monopolized Niagara falls and turned it into a power source. They were able to use the Falls to power factories and mills in the area. In 1895, the world's first hydroelectric generation station opened. Now, the business was booming, but with new business, came an increase in crime, as well...
Happy Tourism
British author Fanny Trollope recalled a family time when she and her two daughters came to Niagara Falls during June of 1831. She wrote, "We drenched ourselves in spray; we cut our feet on the rocks; we blistered our faces in the sun; we looked up the cataract and down the cataract; we perched ourselves on every pinnacle we could find; we dipped our fingers in the flood at a few yards distance from its thundering fall; in short, we strove to fill as many niches of memory with Niagara as possible."
Industrialization Takes Control
Now that factories and mills were being powered by the Falls and the surrounding areas were being powered by tourism, more and more people were flocking to the natural wonder. More people meant more business, but it also meant more problems...
All Good Things Must Come To An End
On the outside, business was going places for the area. In the background, more sinister things were going on. The Falls were a dangerous place to be if you weren't careful. This area was also a secret hot spot for crime.
More Tourism, More Problems
With more people visiting Niagara Falls, more people would end up getting hurt. The first recorded death was of Joseph Avery in 1853. He had been drinking with his friends when they tried to row a boat in the gushing waters. Avery clung to a log for 18 hours before finally getting swept away. This photo by Platt D. Babbitt depicted Avery in his final moments.
More Death
The Falls soon became a hot spot for suicides, murders, and fatal accidents. Whether it was drunk people messing around, dumping bodies, or purposefully jumping over the safety rails, officials noted an uptick in fatal incidents here. What was once a fun family vacation turned into a nightmare zone.
The Secrets of the Falls
In all of its existence, the Niagara Falls never stopped running. It helped entertain families for multiple centuries since its discovery and created a booming business. Everything was going smoothly until locals began noticing a change in the Falls in the 1960s...
Mother Nature
For some reason, more and more rocks were accumulating at the bottom of the Falls. The growing amount of rocks inhibited the waterfall's sheer drop and made it look less "aesthetically pleasing." The locals were worried that this would affect the tourism of the area and therefore harm their local economy...
An International Issue
Since the affected part of the Falls was on the shared American and Canadian border, this became an international issue. The Canadian government met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to try and figure out a solution...
Turning Off the Waterfall
The waterfall, that had been running for thousands of years and brought thriving business to the area, had to be "shut off" in order to be inspected. Secrets that were kept under the waterfall for centuries would finally see the light of day...
Building a Cofferdam
Within the next year, engineers brought in 27,000 tons of material in order to build a cofferdam. The dam would cover 600 feet of the waterfall, which would be enough to investigate the bizarre accumulation of rocks at the bottom. Locals were worried that this would halt tourism, but it actually did the opposite...
Some Treasures Were Revealed
It took a while, but the waters did recede. At first, the waters revealed millions of coins from the past hundred years. Not only were these a cool time capsule, but it was a money haul as well! Folks flocked to the receded waters to collect all of the coins that they could carry.
That Wasn't All
During the extensive work, tourists continued to visit. After months of work, the waters were receded. One day, an innocent tourist noticed something at the bottom of the bed that left the poor witnesses horrified...
At The Bottom
As the waters receded, tourists noticed two sets of human remains among the rocks. It was a horrifying discovery, especially for those who were visiting with their families. The Falls immediately shut down and a criminal investigation was conducted. How long were these waters hiding these bodies?
Were They Daredevils? Or Something More Sinister?
Many people have plunged over the Falls in random objects, such as barrels or boats. 63-year-old teacher Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 successfully toppled over the Falls, was one of those people. Luckily, she survived, but many others didn't...
Falls Deaths
After investigating and recovering the bodies, officials believed that the mystery bodies were most likely suicides. Tragically, they had no idea who they were or how to identify them. These deaths made it obvious that there was no true way to tell how many people died or remained in the waters of Niagara Falls...
Going Over
Tons of stuntpeople have tried to go over the Falls themselves, many of which perished in front of family and friends, which meant there were probably countless people who tried to go over the Falls without huge groups of people watching...
A Bizarre Death
In 1984, Canadian stuntman Karel Soucek survived his journey in a barrel over the Falls, which ignited a modern urge to complete the same task. Tragically, he died the following year at the Houston Astrodome in Texas while trying to recreate his stunt. In 1990, American Jesse Sharp attempted to tackle the Falls in just a canoe but disappeared in the massive wall of water.
A Horrifying Reminder
That day in 1969 was haunting for everyone involved. Tourists were reminded that the Niagara Falls weren't just fun and games but serious business. Like most things, there was a dark history behind the Falls. It was tragic, but the show had to go on. So, the government cleaned up the remains and got back to work uncovering more of the secrets...
Destroying the Dam
Finally, after months of construction, they were able to destroy the dam and bring the Falls back to its natural glory. Not only did they restore the water, but they were able to put in anchors, bolts, and cables to stabilize the American Falls. Were their efforts worth it?
Painful Industrialization
Sadly, the restored Niagara Falls was nothing like they used to be. Due to the industrialization of the waterfalls, they're not as majestic as they used to be. Some damage happened during the repairs in 1969, and the locals were fearful that it wouldn't attract as many people...
Directing More and More Water
Environmentally Friendly
Coming to An Agreement
Not It's True Potential
Draining Out the Falls Again
Let's Hope
