Tag Archives: History of Niagara Falls

Attractions, Facts, History, News, Travel

Voyage Into Niagara Falls’ Boat Touring History

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The ice boom on the Niagara River began its retreat recently which means that the opening of Niagara City Cruises (Hornbower on the Canadian side), and the Maid of the Mist (US side) is here!

Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) opens March 28th, 2024 for the season and the Maid of the Mist is tentatively opening April 4th, 2024 with bookable dates starting now.

Both of these Niagara Falls Boat Tours are tremendously popular tourist attractions and are not to be missed this Spring!

Continue reading to review the timeline of the original Maid of the Mist boat tour (North America’s oldest tourist attraction), progressing to our current date which includes the addition of the Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) boat tours.

1846 – The Maid of the Mist Ferry Service Launched

Crossing the Niagara River in order to transport people was unheard of until the introduction of small boats in 1834. On May 27th, 1846, the very first Maid of the Mist boat was first introduced, but not as a tourist attraction. It ferried people, cargo, and mail across the river for a small fee. However, making money in this regard was short-lived after the first Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge was completed.

1848 saw a temporary bridge introduced, and in 1854 a lower deck was opened for pedestrian and carriage purposes. Taking money away from the ferry, it was decided to turn the Maid of the Mist into a tourist attraction, allowing people to get as close to the Falls as possible.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour – 1st Generation (1854-1860)

On July 14th, 1854, a new Maid of the Mist was launched. This one was 72 feet long and featured a paddle boat engine rather than a sidewheel steam engine.

With business dwindling mainly as the result of the onslaught of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the boat was sold at a public auction to a Montreal firm in 1861.

However, the boat had to be successfully delivered to Lake Ontario, which meant it had to be navigated through the Great Gorge Rapids, the Whirlpool, and the Lower Rapids.

Captain Robinson undertook the frightening task on June 6th, 1861, and successfully made it through the rapids (although lost the smoke stack in the process).

Service was not restored until 1885 under a new partnership: The Maid of the Mist Steamboat Company.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour 2nd Generation: 1885 – 1955

The second generation Maid of the Mist was launched in June of 1885 which reached closer to the Horseshoe Falls than its previous counterparts.

Then, an additional boat was unveiled in 1892 on the American side. These boats sailed until April 22, 1955, when they burned in an accident on the Canadian side.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour 3rd Generation (1955 – 1990)

On July 28th, 1955, a third generation Maid of the Mist I (1955–1990) was introduced to replace the destroyed vessels — this time, it was made of steel and powered by diesel engines.

In June 1956, an additional Maid of the Mist steel boat was added to the fleet and was christened the Maid of the Mist II (1956 – 1983)

On July 9th, 1960 the Maid of the Mist II contributed to the heroic saving of 7 year old Roger Woodward, the boy who became the first person to survive a plunge over the Horseshoe Falls wearing only a life jacket. The Maid of the Mist II was just making its turn below the Falls when a crew member spotted the boy.

Captain Clifford Keech maneuvered the boat so the crew could successfully save Roger, who luckily only sustained a minor concession, and was in hospital for only 3 days. In 1983, the Maid of the Mist II was sold and it served as a Missionary ship on the Amazon River.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour 4th Generation (1972 – Now)

Maid of the Mist III:
1972–1997

Maid of the Mist III takes to the water, carrying 210 passengers. This boat is a 65-foot-long, 65-ton vessel powered by two 250-horsepower diesel engines.

Maid of the Mist IV:
1976-2013

Maid of the Mist IV, a 300-passenger boat, is introduced. The new boat is 72 feet long, 24 feet wide, weighs 74 tons and is powered by two 250-horsepower diesel engines.

Maid of the Mist V:
1983-2013

Maid of the Mist V gives passengers the thrill of their lives. It’s all steel, 72 feet long, weighs 74 tons and powered by two 335-horsepower diesel engines to safely carry 300 passengers.

Maid of the Mist VI:
1990 – Present

In 1990, the Maid of the Mist VI was launched into service. The 145 tonne, 80 foot all steel double deck boat is capable of carrying 600 passengers at a time!

This made it the 10th Maid of the Mist boat to contribute to the Niagara Falls Boat Tours — and the largest, which is still running today. Accompanying boat VI was the addition of the Maid of the Mist VII on July 11th, 1997 (also still running today) at 80 feet and with the capacity to carry 600 passengers as well.

New York State Governor Saves the Maid in Late 2012

On December 4th, 2012, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Niagara Falls, New York to make a major announcement: An agreement between Cuomo’s administration and the Maid of the Mist calls for the company to pay for $32 million in upgrades near the site of the former Schoellkopf power plant to turn the area into a winter storage dock for its two-boat American fleet.

On Thursday, October 26th, 2013, the Maid of the Mist did its final boat tour on the Canadian side. The business continues to operate from the US side of the gorge and departs from its dock just beyond the Rainbow Bridge. The Canadian side was replaced by Hornblower Niagara Cruises, a California-based company at the start of Spring of 2014.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour 5th Generation (Launched 2019)

New-build emission-free vessels was launched during 2019 season

In 2019, the Maid of the Mist launched the first two new all-electric, zero-emission passenger vessels constructed in the United States. The new catamaran-style vessels will provide more than 1.6 million guests from around the world with an up-close, iconic view of Niagara Falls. The vessels feature a wide stance, resulting in a smooth, quiet ride, allowing them to better enjoy the roar and majesty of Niagara Falls.

ABB, a pioneering technology leader in digital industries, will supply a comprehensive integrated power and propulsion solution for the newbuild vessels, including lithium-ion battery packs and an onshore charging system, enabling sustainable operation with maximum reliability.

Powered by ABB’s zero-emission technology, the two fully-electric vessels will take tourists to the heart of the Niagara Falls, undisturbed by engine noise or exhaust fumes. Batteries will be recharged for seven minutes after each trip to 80 percent capacity, allowing for maximum efficiency and battery life.

Maid of the Mist VI (1990) and Maid of the Mist VII (1997), were removed from service when the new vessels began operating.

Niagara City Cruises (Formery Hornblower): Launched in 2014

Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) offers two catamarans that carry approximately 700 people, and a third charter boat reserved specifically for private functions that carries approximately 150 passengers.

The Niagara City Cruises official ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 which showcased speeches by the Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) CEO, Terry MacRae, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, Mory DiMaurizo, General Manager of Niagara Cruises and the Niagara Parks Commission chair, Janice Thomson. It officially opened the following day to excited crowds.

Wearing their red ponchos, locals and tourists alike flocked the Niagara City Cruise Plaza to become a part of history on its grand opening day. The distinct differentiation between the Niagara City Cruises and the Maid of the Mist docked on the US side, is the swarm of customers wearing red (Niagara City Cruises) and blue (Maid of the Mist) ponchos. Both these Niagara Falls boat tours are anticipating another exciting season. This past Winter season saw far less ice form on Lake Erie, which flows into the Niagara River. With the Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) running and Maid of the Mist soon to launch in April.

This is the 9th season for Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower), and — wait for it — the 177th year for Maid of the Mist.

Attractions, Facts, Travel

Niagara’s Old Scow and Other Famous Structures Surrounding The Falls

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Niagara Falls History: 5 Famous Structures Surrounding The Niagara Falls

Next time you are taking in the beauty of the Niagara Falls from the Parkway, take a look around you at some other pieces of Niagara Falls History. More than the magnificent falls, here are 5 famous structures to check out while you are there.

Niagara Scow (AKA “The Old Scow”)

On August 6, 1918, Gustave Lofberg and Frank Harris were aboard the sand scow dredging up sand banks from the Niagara River upstream of the waterfall. The scow was being towed by the tug boat “Hassayampa”, which was operated by Captain John Wallace. When Captain John Wallace brought the “Hassayampa” over to bring the scow back to shore, it broke loose and began floating downriver rapidly towards the Horseshoe Falls.

With Lofberg and Harris aboard, the boat got caught on a rock shoal half a mile from the edge of the falls after the scow swung sideways in the turbulent water. It grounded and became lodged on a rock shoal not too far from the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. The Niagara Falls (Ontario) Fire Department tried used a grappling gun to shoot a life line out towards the barge while waiting for the US Coast Guard to arrive. The US Coast Guard was able to send a lifeline over to the barge, and the breeches buoy ended up getting tangled.

William Red Hill Sr. volunteered to try to reach the men. Using the rope, Red Hill Sr. set out at 3 a.m. with spotlights to try to save the two men. He struggled and was unable to untangle the ropes. He set out again by daylight at 8 a.m., and was successful this time. By 9:30 a.m. the two men were being safely returned to the shore. The whole ordeal lasted 17 hours.

Old Scow Moved 100 Feet (October 2019)

On Thursday, October 31st 2019, a major wind storm caused gusts that peaked near 60 mph (100 kms/hr). The scow became dislodged and was overturned and driven by wind and water approximately 100 feet (30 meters) down river before being grounded again.

Old Scow Fractured (April 2022)

Due to recent weather conditions, the Iron Scow, a century-old shipwreck, moved further down river towards the Horseshoe Falls over the weekend of April 1st, 2022. It was obvious that at least two big portions of the main hull had split and were lying in the swirling water.

According to Jim Hill, senior manager of heritage for Niagara Parks, the ice boom was discharged the week before and may have caused the scow to fracture.  That presumably drove enough water and ice down the river from Lake Erie to “hammer into what was left of the scow,” he explained.

Toronto Power Generating Station

Ceasing operation in 1974, the Toronto Power Generating Station was built in 1906 and was one of the first Canadian-owned hydro-electric facilities. You can find this beautiful building alongside the Niagara River, just above the Niagara Falls. The station was built by the Electrical Development Company of Ontario under supervision of Hugh L. Cooper to supply hydro-electric power to nearby Toronto.

The water from the turbines ran out through a brick lined water wheel, which eventually came out at the base of the falls. The tunnel dimensions were 10 metres in diameter and 610 metres long. It was the largest of its kind in the world during that time period. The station operated 11 turbines which produced 11,000 horsepower each. Total power output was equal to 131,420 horsepower. Upgrades after being purchased by Ontario Hydro in 1922 improved the horsepower of each generator to 12,500 with a total output of 137,000 horsepower.

Eventually, Ontario Hydro looked to make better use downriver at the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations in Queenston, Ontario, and in 1983 the vacant Toronto Power Generating Station was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1983 due to its importance in the development of business, industry and technology in Ontario.

Tesla Monument

Born in Croatia in 1856, Nikola Tesla was regarded as one of the most influential inventors of all times. He was a pioneer in the discovery of radar technology, X-ray technology, remote control and in 1895, Tesla designed what was among the first AC hydroelectric power plants in the United States, at Niagara Falls.

The Tesla monument has been erected on both sides of the Niagara Falls. The sculpture that was inaugurated in the New York was presented by Yugoslavia in 1976, and on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, the Tesla monument can be found in Queen Victoria Park. The sculpture was unveiled in 2006 on the 150th birthday of Tesla.

Rambler’s Rest

Built in 1907, this is a stone heritage pavilion that overlooks the Niagara River, between the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the American Bridal Veil Falls. It was built as resting place for pedestrians, with protection in case of any storms. Alternatively, it was also the spot that spectators gathered to witness stunts being performed in the Niagara Gorge.

Zimmerman Fountain

Clifton Hill’s location essentially started out because of a man named Samuel Zimmerman. Samuel Zimmerman was an American who came to Niagara in 1842 and was a very gifted contractor, and quite possibly one of the best of his time. He made a fortune on projects such as the Second Welland Canal, and was the man behind the building of the Great Western Railroad from Hamilton to Niagara Falls. He was also a primary supporter of the first railway suspension bridge to be built across the Niagara River Gorge.

The “Village of Clifton” was initially a piece of property owned by a man named Captain Ogden Creighton, and the village started laying out buildings and streets in approximately 1832. It was Creighton who gave this future settlement the name “Clifton”, derived from the town of the same name in England. Upon his death in 1837, his wife sold the property to Samuel Zimmerman. He later had the Erie and Niagara Railway routed through this town.

In 1848, Zimmerman purchased land in the “Village of Elgin” (which he named after Lord Elgin, the Governor General of Canada) after the first suspension bridge was built and houses started to span out with its first settlers in the area. This was the area of Niagara Falls that contained Queen Street, Park Street, Huron Street and Morrison Street. In 1856, the boundaries of the Village of Elgin were expanded to include the area of the Table Rock.

In view of this expansion and its subsequent increase in population, the Village of Elgin now had enough citizens to become a town rather than a village. Because the name Elgin had been previously used, the name of the newly formed town was changed to the Town of Clifton in 1856 (it amalgamated with the Village of Clifton).

In October of 1881, at the request of its residents, the former Town of Clifton received permission from government to change it’s name to the Town of Niagara Falls. By 1881, the population of the Town of Niagara Falls was 2,623 citizens — a far cry from its population today at approximately 83,000 inhabitants.

Zimmerman created an estate property along the south side of Ferry Hill (now Clifton Hill) that he called “Clifton Place”. On his estate, Zimmerman undertook to create many gardens and several large fountains. He planned to build a mansion that he hoped to live in once it was completed. His estate was bounded by Clifton Hill, the Niagara River, Robinson Street and Ferry Road (now known as Victoria Avenue). Today this property is owned by HOCO (Sir Harry Oakes Company). Unfortunately, Samuel Zimmerman saw only the foundations of his mansion built before he was killed on March 12th 1857 in the Desjardins Canal Railway accident. The train derailed and plunged into the canal killing 59 persons including Samuel Zimmerman.

Upon Zimmerman’s death in 1857, his estate was then taken over by U.S. Senator John T. Bush (the estate included the ownership of the first Clifton Hotel). It was Bush that completed the restoration of the mansion, and even though the Zimmerman/Bush mansion no longer stands, the “Zimmerman Fountain”, a large stone fountain built by Samuel Zimmerman below the moraine (now Queen Victoria Park), remains today.

Attractions, Facts, History, List, Quiz

Test your Niagara Knowledge with this “Where Am I” Quiz

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Niagara Falls, a place of awe-inspiring natural beauty, often reveals its hidden gems with each visit. As you return to this iconic destination, you’ll discover that there’s always more to learn and explore. In this article, we’ve curated a list of ten intriguing locations that will challenge your knowledge of Niagara Falls.

Test your familiarity by guessing the whereabouts of each spot, and after you’ve completed the quiz, check the answers to see how well you’ve fared. Get ready to delve into the depths of Niagara Falls’ fascinating secrets and elevate your appreciation for this remarkable wonder.

QUIZ START
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Clifton Hill History: A Tour with Sherman Zavitz

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Reading Time:  7 minutes -*Pictured Above: The Zimmerman/Bush Estate on Clifton Hill (1858-1938)*
This past Sunday, September 7th, I was fortunate enough to attend a guided tour by the Official Historian of the City of Niagara Falls, Sherman Zavitz.  He has written widely about local Niagara history and made extensive radio broadcasts on the subject, so I jumped on the chance to learn a little bit specifically about Clifton Hill history. Currently, we all know Clifton Hill as the “Street of Fun by the Falls”; a street jammed with tourists in the Summer and marked by attractions, restaurants, hotels and motels. But how much do you know about its historic significance to Niagara Falls? That’s what I wanted to find out. It was an informative 90-minute tour and I would like to share a few tidbits of information that he presented to us on this tour.

*Pictured Above: Sherman Zavitz at the Oakes Garden Theatre*
Clifton Hill’s location essentially started out because of a man named Samuel Zimmerman. Samuel Zimmerman was an American who came to Niagara in 1842 and was a very gifted contractor, and quite possibly one of the best of his time. He made a fortune on projects such as the Second Welland Canal, and was the man behind the building of the Great Western Railroad from Hamilton to Niagara Falls. He was also a primary supporter of the first railway suspension bridge to be built across the Niagara River Gorge.
The “Village of Clifton” was initially a piece of property owned by a man named Captain Ogden Creighton, and the village started laying out buildings and streets in approximately 1832. It was Creighton who gave this future settlement the name “Clifton”, derived from the town of the same name in England. Upon his death in 1837, his wife sold the property to Samuel Zimmerman. He later had the Erie and Niagara Railway routed through this town.
In 1848, Zimmerman purchased land in the “Village of Elgin” (which he named after Lord Elgin, the Governor General of Canada) after the first suspension bridge was built and houses started to span out with its first settlers in the area. This was the area of Niagara Falls that contained Queen Street, Park Street, Huron Street and Morrison Street. In 1856, the boundaries of the Village of Elgin were expanded to include the area of the Table Rock.
In view of this expansion and its subsequent increase in population, the Village of Elgin now had enough citizens to become a town rather than a village. Because the name Elgin had been previously used, the name of the newly formed town was changed to the Town of Clifton in 1856 (it amalgamated with the Village of Clifton).
In October of 1881, at the request of its residents, the former Town of Clifton received permission from government to change it’s name to the Town of Niagara Falls. By 1881, the population of the Town of Niagara Falls was 2,623 citizens — a far cry from its population today at approximately 83,000 inhabitants. 

Zimmerman created an estate property along the south side of Ferry Hill (now Clifton Hill) that he called “Clifton Place”. On his estate, Zimmerman undertook to create many gardens and several large fountains. He planned to build a mansion that he hoped to live in once it was completed. His estate was bounded by Clifton Hill, the Niagara River, Robinson Street and Ferry Road (now known as Victoria Avenue). Today this property is owned by HOCO (Sir Harry Oakes Company). Unfortunately, Samuel Zimmerman saw only the foundations of his mansion built before he was killed on March 12th 1857 in the Desjardins Canal Railway accident. The train derailed and plunged into the canal killing 59 persons including Samuel Zimmerman.

*Pictured Above: “Clifton Place”. The grassy area in the foreground now stands all the attractions on the south side of Clifton Hill (HOCO property)*

*Pictured Above: The south side Clifton Hill’s current attractions that now reside on what was once was Zimmerman’s property*
The first buildings that Zimmerman built on his estate were four gatehouses. Each gatehouse was large enough to be a home in itself. A gatehouse was located at each of the four entrances to his 52 acre estate.
Zimmerman also built a large stable for his horses and carriages of imported English yellow brick. The stables continued to exist until the mid 1950’s when the new Park Motor Hotel (currently the Clifton Hill Niagara Falls Hotel) was built. On this tour, Sherman Zavitz pointed out a section of the Comfort Inn Clifton Hill that still has a portion of the foundation of the Clifton Place stables still standing, which visibly shows the same circular small stable windows.

*Pictured Above: The Bush Estate Clifton Place stables in 1946 (built in 1856 by Samuel Zimmerman)*

*Pictured Above: Sherman Zavitz pointing out the circular stable windows on the Comfort Inn Clifton Hill that still remain (one visible here)*
Upon Zimmerman’s death in 1857, his estate was then taken over by U.S. Senator John T. Bush (the estate included the ownership of the first Clifton Hotel). It was Bush that completed the restoration of the mansion, and even though the Zimmerman/Bush mansion no longer stands, the “Zimmerman Fountain”, a large stone fountain built by Samuel Zimmerman below the moraine (now Queen Victoria Park), remains today:


Senator Bush and his family lived in the mansion for the next 50 years. The view of Niagara Falls was available from the many windows on the upper floors, the balconies and from a little stone turret built into one wing of the mansion.
Following the death of Senator Bush, his daughter Miss Josephine Bush continued to live in the mansion until 1927. In 1928, Miss Bush sold the Bush Estate to Sir Harry Oakes, and the mansion was later torn down by June 1, 1937 (to read all about Sir Harry Oakes click here).
By the time that Sir Harry Oakes purchased this land, tourism was beginning to boom in Niagara Falls and Oakes knew to capitalize on that. Oakes was a Parks Commissioner who donated the piece of land in which the Oakes Garden Theatre currently resides to the Niagara Parks Commission, in exchange for another plot of land located just above the park, which is today the south side of Clifton Hill, with the current large chain of attractions, restaurants and retail outlets still owned and operated by the Oakes family.
Before he made the exchange though, Oakes wanted to create something beautiful. He began to hire individuals such as architect Dunington-Grubb, Stensson, and William Lyon Somerville to create an intricate design of gardens and stone sculptures in 1937. The garden was officially open to the public in 1937 and in memory and in honor of Harry Oakes the garden was named Oakes Garden Theatre to pay tribute to all the hard work and dedication he put into the creation of this new beautiful spot in Niagara to visit. It officially opened on September 18, 1937. Oakes Garden Theatre is fan-shaped, with the stage placed with the Niagara Falls as a natural backdrop.  
During our tour we made our way to the Oakes Garden Theatre located at the foot of Clifton Hill and the Niagara Parkway. Zavitz informed us that the two open pavilions were deliberately designed so that one was perfectly aligned on the axis of the Horseshoe Falls, and the other with the American Falls.

*Pictured Above: A tiny glimpse into Oakes Garden on September 7th, 2014*
Across from the Oakes Garden (on the south side of Clifton Hill between Falls Avenue and River Road), you can’t help but notice the large beautiful monument that pays tribute to all the veterans from Niagara Falls that lost their lives during WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. This national monument was originally unveiled in 1927 to honour those that died fighting in the First World War, and then was updated in 1982 to include the Second World War and Korea. There are 136 names inscribed on this monument. Zavitz stated that it is important to note that while that number doesn’t seem large, during the time of the First World War, Niagara Falls had approximately 1100 people serve in the war — thus telling us literally on such a large-scale how many men sacrificed their lives that came from Niagara Falls.
Here is a photo from the original unveiling:



There is so much Clifton Hill history to tell, but these are just a few aspects of the tour that were touched upon. If you wish to learn a little bit more about Clifton Hill, along with Niagara Falls history in general, click here for a section within our website that touches on our origins, facts about Niagara Falls, daredevils and even some trivia!
It was a privilege to take part on this tour with Sherman Zavitz, and stay tuned for information on his next tour in Spring 2015.

Christine Lynn

www.cliftonhill.com

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Learn the History of Niagara Falls at these Places

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Reading Time:  4 minutes -After you have seen the majestic Niagara Falls, know that there is still so much to experience when you learn about the History of Niagara Falls. Locals and International travellers alike could really benefit and begin to understand just how much History is behind this Wonder of the World. To know that you are standing beside a natural attraction with an estimated 12,000 years worth of History behind it — from the time the Falls started to flow over the rock, to the more current last man to walk over the Falls on tightrope, Nik Wallenda, there is so much more to experience when you begin to delve deep into the History of Niagara Falls.
Here are a couple of places to go to educate yourself on the Niagara Falls:
The Niagara Falls History Museum

The Niagara Falls History Museum is an obvious choice. It houses a vast collection of the History of Niagara Falls and the Museum provides a showcase for the unique past of the famous city. The Museum’s recent $12M renovation and expansion creates a dynamic space to examine and explore our diverse history. There are three galleries featured: The War of 1812 Gallery, the Community Gallery and the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Temporary Exhibition Gallery.
War of 1812:

This gallery interprets the War of 1812 with a primary focus on the Battle of Lundy’s Lane and houses one of Canada’s best 1812 collections. The collection includes uniforms, weaponry, equipment, relics, buttons and archival records relating specifically to the Battle of Lundy’s Lane and to the War of 1812.
Community Gallery:

This is the primary exhibit to go to in order to educate yourself on the people, culture, geology, social life, industry and the dare devils who attempted to conquer the falls. Many aspects within this gallery are interactive and not just educational.
The Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Temporary Exhibition Gallery:

This temporary gallery houses travelling exhibitions from other museums on a short-term basis, providing the opportunity to host 3 to 4 different exhibits every year. Currently, the Niagara Falls History Museum is featuring “Space”, which features a moon rock and a portable planetarium StarLab. Visitors will be able to stretch out under the stars in a portable planetarium and see a moon rock on loan from NASA that was brought back to Earth from an Apollo mission.

The Niagara Falls History Museum also houses a great facility to hold corporate meetings and functions. Its theatre offers modern audio-visual equipment with a capacity to hold up to 70 guests. There is also a lobby for cocktail meetings.

For information on pricing, group tours (whether it be for schools or International tours), please click here for further information and rates or call 905-358-5082.
The Niagara IMAX Theatre

The Niagara IMAX Theatre offers a couple of different ways to experience and educate yourself about the History of Niagara Falls. First, their feature film “Niagara: Miracles, Myths & Magic” takes the viewers who wish to learn more and dig deeper into the past of the Niagara Falls, into an educational experience that is enhanced in IMAX technology! You will travel back in time to learn of its history and experience the death-defying stunts performed by daredevils who challenged the fury of Niagara Falls. Here is a trailer of what you can expect to see:
http://youtu.be/Jwif-_qbYbk
Secondly, it houses the world’s largest Niagara Daredevil Exhibit. Hear the stories, feel the fear and touch the actual daredevil barrels. This Daredevil gallery has the only collection of the original daredevil barrels, in which you can actually see and touch all the different contrapments built that sent those that dared to go over the brink of the Falls…

The IMAX Theatre runs currently from November – April from 10:00am – 4:00pm, May and October from 9:00am – 8:00pm and June to August from 9:00am – 9:00pm. One of the benefits of the IMAX is its wide diversity to cater to all the different nationalities that travel to the Niagara Falls. Currently (until March 6th, 2014), the 10:00am show is in Japanese and on Monday’s and Friday’s there is a 5:00pm Korean show, so long as there is a Korean tour booked.
Free bus parking and volume discount pricing for groups is offered, as well as multilanguage simulcast with languages in English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Italian with its complimentary headsets.
For  information on booking group tours, call the Group Tour Department at group@imaxniagara.com or call them at 877-239-3239.
In the meantime, if you wish to familiarize yourself with a little Niagara Falls Trivia and Facts about the Niagara Falls, visit “Our History” page by clicking here. It’s a great stepping stone to becoming more educated about the Niagara Falls and the people that influenced our city.

Christine Lynn
www.cliftonhill.com
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