America's First State Park: Niagara Falls

I wanted to be wildly awed by the falls themselves, and they were incredible, though not the thing that I'll remember most from America's first state park; I'll remember the sounds.

Niagara Falls was made a state park in 1885. Like many other areas of these United States, it began as a reservation and eventually became part of a parks system as those developed. When I think about the timing and naming of this, it is understandable why many citizens at the time didn't think twice about moving Native Americans to "reservations", they were beautiful places of untouched land. A quick web search says Native reservations began in 1851, but it is interesting to me that land tracts were given the same naming structure instead of preserve or refuge (which is what we call them today). More Internet rabbit-holing on that later.

The original plan was to go over to Goat Island, however, Piper could see the river flowing beneath the pedestrian bridge and opted to stay on dry land. We walked along the NE bank toward the falls and you could hear the movement of the water. I thought, for sure, that the volume would only increase as we approached the falls themselves. It caught my attention when it suddenly seemed like it got quieter. Eerily quiet for as much movement was going along. I actually backed up to check that I wasn't just imagining the volume shift. As you can see the water about to plummet, it looks almost calm, and more involved than a babbling brook, but not louder than the Susquehanna at high water. 

Ten feet or so later, parallel to the fall line, the volume returns and the Bridal Veil falls come into view as well. The sheer force, the torrent of water, it is mighty. Yet, I couldn't help but understand the inclination of the barrel-floaters who had wanted to experience the ride. I wonder if they felt the sweet serenity and internal quiet in the moment before they plunged over (and, more likely than not, were maimed or died). The calm of the water at the bottom also struck me. It was like looking at the back of a bathtub while the front is filling - not much to see.

The mist is 100% real and visible from a distance. The far side land is Canada.

The relative calm at the bottom of Niagara Falls. Port for the Maiden of the Mist boat journeys is visible in the gorge here. It is actually forbidden to swim in any part of the Niagara River in the state parks because it is wildly dangerous.

It was incredibly interesting to have seen the progression of the water flow through Devil's Hole, Whirlpool, and then Niagara Falls state parks; kinda made me want to be a water molecule for a day just to check it out. However, I am not actually Ms. Frizzle, and so I'll just have to imagine the experience. 

For more unusual observations at national landmarks, keep coming back.