Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular
natural wonders of the world. The famous Falls are supplied by the Niagara
River, which connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The Niagara Falls, located
midway in the river, pour 500,000 tons of water a minute
into a deep gorge. The water drops in two sections divided by Goat Island.
The right-hand section forms the American Falls, which
is 193 feet high and over 1000 feet wide. The left-hand section forms the
Horseshoe Falls, which is 186 feet high and 2,100 feet
wide.
Scientists believe that Niagara
Falls was formed after the last ice sheet from the Ice Age had withdrawn
from the area. The surface of the land had been changed
by the ice. This caused waterways and streams to develop new paths. The result
was an overflow of Lake Erie which produced Niagara
Falls. Scientists believe the Falls are approximately 20,000 years old.
The Falls are formed over an outer
layer of hard dolomitic limestone. This covers a softer layer of shale. The
shale is more easily worn away which causes the harder
limestone to form an over hanging edge. This allows the Falls to drop straight
down at a sharp angle, which produces a spectacular sight. But through the
years, the outer layer has broken off at times. This
is causing the Falls to gradually move back up the
river. This erosion is happening to the American Falls at the rate of 3 to
7 inches a year. But the edge of the Horseshoe Falls
is being worn back at the rate of approximately three feet a year.
Through the years, Niagara Falls
has been a tremendous attraction for sightseers. Observation towers and a
special area, Cave of the Winds, behind the Falls,
have allowed remarkable views. At night, the Falls are flooded with lights.
A steamer, called the Maid of the Mist, takes visitors
for a ride around the base of the Falls.
Niagara Falls has also irresistibly
drawn daredevils who have wanted to test their courage. One such man, Charles
Blondin, crossed the Falls on a tightrope in 1859.
Four days later, he crossed again, only this time with a blindfold. A month
later, he crossed for the third time carrying a man
on his shoulders. And as if that weren't daring enough, he returned to cross
the Falls once again—on stilts!
