the history of Niagara Falls?

The last ice age ends and the ice sheet covering the North America begins to melt. As the ice sheet melts, it creates a massive lake called Glacial Lake Iroquois, which covers much of what is now western New York and southern Ontario.

7,000 years ago

The Niagara Escarpment is formed as the water from Glacial Lake Iroquois begins to drain away. The Niagara Escarpment is a steep cliff that runs from Queenston, Ontario to Niagara Falls.

5,000 years ago

The first humans arrive in the Niagara Falls area. The first people to live in the area are the Iroquois Indians.

1604

Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer, is the first European to see Niagara Falls. Champlain describes the falls as "a great and terrible noise of water."

1678

Father Louis Hennepin, a French missionary, visits Niagara Falls and writes a detailed description of the falls. Hennepin's description of the falls helps to make them known to the world.

1812

The War of 1812 breaks out between the United States and Great Britain. The war disrupts trade and tourism at Niagara Falls.

1855

The Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge is built. The suspension bridge is a major engineering feat and it helps to attract more tourists to Niagara Falls.

1879

The first hydroelectric power plant is built at Niagara Falls. The hydroelectric power plant harnesses the power of the falls to generate electricity.

1917

The Niagara Parks Commission is created to manage and protect the Niagara Falls area. The Niagara Parks Commission builds roads, trails, and other facilities to make the falls more accessible to tourists.

1950

The Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort opens. The casino resort is a major tourist attraction and it helps to boost the economy of the Niagara Falls area.

1969

The Horseshoe Falls are partially diverted to allow construction of the Niagara Tunnel, a hydroelectric diversion project.

1971

The falls were again partially diverted to allow construction of the Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Plant on the American side.

1984

The Niagara Escarpment is designated as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

2012

The Niagara Falls Illumination Board was created to design and operate the lighting system that illuminates the falls.

2015

The Niagara Falls Tourism Center opens. The tourism center is a major visitor attraction and it helps to promote tourism in the Niagara Falls area.

Today, Niagara Falls is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Millions of people visit Niagara Falls each year to see the falls, take a boat ride, or walk along the Niagara River.