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Welcome to Niagara Falls! New York (USA) & Ontario (Canada)
While the
Falls themselves are relatively young at 12,000 years old, it was a measly
500 years ago that they split into today's Canadian Horseshoe and American
Falls (with the Bridal Veil Falls forming a third, very narrow set). In
the middle sits Goat Island, named to commemorate a herd of goats that
froze to death on the island during the winter of 1780.
But it was tourism that put Niagara Falls on the map. People came first by
buggy, boat and trainand then by car and bus. In the 50 years between
1820 and 1870, the tourism trade increased 10-fold as the site became more
and more accessible. By the 1870s, it had become a full-fledged part of
the local economy, with the Falls as the natural focus of attention.
Today, Niagara Falls is more than a honeymoon getaway. There's something
here for the entire family, no matter what time of year. And, standing by
the edge of those Falls listening to the thunder of the water, you'll
swear you can hear the rush of history swirling by: 12,000 years of it
with, one hopes, thousands more to come.
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