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Niagara Falls Stop Falling! – 1848
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What happens to a great big river and a mighty waterfall when an ice floe blocks the water?
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The water flow of Niagara River was stopped for a few hours on this day in 1848—so much so that people actually walked out onto the riverbed and recovered artifacts!
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Still, the Falls didn’t technically freeze over.
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| This is an “ice bridge” under Rainbow Bridge. |
Apparently “ice bridges” sometimes form on the Niagara River, below the Falls, during really long, cold winters. Until 1912, visitors were allowed to actually walk out on the ice bridge and view the Falls, but in 1912 the ice bridge broke up and three tourists died.
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Did you know…?
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- The Niagara Falls are 176 feet high (but there are rocks at the base, so the fall is just 70 feet), and an amazing 150,000 U.S. gallons of water pound down the Falls EVERY SECOND!!!
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- There are two hydroelectric plants that harness power from some of this falling water to make electricity.
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- About 12 million visitors view the Niagara Falls every year.
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For more on the Falls, check out the Facts About Niagara Falls website, plus this and this earlier post.
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To build your own waterfall, try the instructions found here.
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