Niagara Falls Facts and History

Although the Niagara Falls are not the biggest falls in the world, most people are fascinated with it. It may be due to the difference between the Niagara Falls and the other falls in the world. It is the height and volume of water, which lends Niagara the beauty it has. Niagara Falls facts and history are both fascinating indeed. Niagara Falls are made up of three falls, namely American Fall, Bridal Veil Fall and Horseshoe Fall. All three of these falls have varying height. Two of the falls are located on the American side of the border, while one is located on the Canadian side of the border. Although two falls are located on the American side of the border, two-thirds of the falls lie on the Canadian side. The beauty of the falls from different sides is enticing. Therefore, when people opt to visit Niagara Falls, they want to do so from the different sides.

Niagara Falls History

A fascinating fact about the Niagara Falls is that they are approximately 12,000 years old. However, the formation of the falls started millions of years ago. It is often said that the Niagara Falls are formed on the Niagara river, but technically speaking the Niagara river is a strait. The strait connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

When the glaciers melted and receded towards the end of the last ice age, the water from the newly formed lakes, namely Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario made a way through Niagara escarpment before it made its way to the Atlantic Ocean. Although the height of the falls is not large, it is the width which makes Niagara breathtaking.

About 10,500 years ago, there were some geological changes that came about. Rebounding of land took place because of a high amount of pressure of ice. Therefore, water got rerouted through Northern Ontario. This resulted in the Lake Erie being reduced to half its size and amount of water flow was reduced to 10% of its current flow. After 5000 years, water was rerouted again through Southern Ontario and water flow was restored to its full strength, after another geological change.

Interesting Niagara Falls Facts

• The Niagara Falls is 17 miles long, extending from the north to Northwest of Buffalo in New York, while it extends 75 miles from south to Southeast of Ontario.
• Of the three falls which make the Niagara Falls, it is the Horseshoe Falls which are said to be the most beautiful. This fall derives its name from the shape it has. It has about nine times more water as compared to the American Falls. The Horseshoe Falls are 170 feet in height and 2220 feet in width.
• The American Falls are not as enchanting as the Horseshoe Falls. They also have much lesser quantity of water. They are located across the American border. The height of this fall is 180 feet, while the width is 1060 feet.
• The third of the falls are the Bridal Veil Falls. They are the smallest of the three falls. They are engulfed by mist, which gives them the look of a veil of a new bride, hence the name.
• The Niagara Falls attractions are Maid of the Mist (a boat cruise), Journey Behind the Falls (visit to the platform and the tunnels located below the falls), Illumination of the Falls, Educational Tours of the Falls, etc.
• Among the facts about Niagara Falls is the fact that about 3,160 tons of water flows over the three falls combined every second. This water falls at a rate of 32 feet per second.
• Approximately 4 million kilowatts of electricity is produced from the falls. Electricity produced is shared by America and Canada.
• One of the interesting Niagara Falls facts for kids is that is home to endangered fish called Lake Sturgeon. Other than Lake Sturgeon, it is also home to a number of other endangered species, such as Peregrine Falcon, American Bald Eagle, etc.
• One remarkable specialty of the falls is that the water does not freeze and continues to flow all through the year.

Were the facts about the Niagara Falls not interesting? It is not for nothing that the Niagara Falls has as many as 20 million visitors annually. As a matter of fact, it is counted among the top family vacation spots in the United States. With a number of activities one can undertake around the Niagara Falls, people do indeed take a vacation around the said area.