A History of the Niagara Falls Parks

Niagara Falls has some amazing parks, but they haven’t always been there. These natural areas were once unprotected. In fact, the idea of Niagara Falls Parks didn’t come around until Frederic Church, a famous landscape artist, came to the falls. He began a campaign to establish public parks on both sides of the border to keep the Falls naturally beautiful and prevent undesirable commercialization.

However, it was several decades before this campaign took root. In 1869, Church met Frederick Law Olmstead, a landscape architect who was a strong supported of the public park proposal. This well spoken man lobbied many politicians in western New York, as well as to Lord Dufferin, Canada’s Governor-General. Lord Dufferin publicly announced his support for Niagara Falls parks in 1878.

There were a number of setbacks, including the dispute between the government of Ontario and the Dominion of Canada over who should pay for the cost of establishing the park. The United States’ park was created in 1885, signed into law by then-governor Hill. This new State park consisted of more than four hundred acres, and cost about one and a half million dollars – a lot in the 1880s. The park officially opened to the public in July of 1885.

Canada’s original park was composed of one hundred fifty-four acres, including the area between the present day Cynthia/Dufferin Islands and Clifton Hill. Called the Queen Victoria Niagara Parks, it was officially open to the public in May of 1888, on Victoria Day. Entering the park was free, but there was a toll to cross the Cedar Island Bridge.

The largest source of revenue for running the parks has come from leasing water rights for the generation of hydroelectric power. Originally, American companies were awarded leases for generating power and building power plants on both sides of the river, and the first power stations in the Niagara Falls Parks included the Toronto Power Company and Ontario Power Company.

On the United States side, Niagara Falls State Park is actually the oldest state park in the country. It currently maintains native vegetation and offers a place for visitors to learn a lot about the history of the Falls, as well as to experience the area’s natural beauty. Almost one hundred forty acres of the park is under water.

If you’re thinking about a visit to the Falls, don’t forget to check out the beautiful parks on either side of the border. They have a lot of history, and preserve amazing natural vistas. Enjoy hiking and many other outdoor activities in the Niagara Falls Parks .