Customer Reviews

Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies

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There may be many reasons for going to Niagara Falls. Sure, you have to be awed by the spectacular falls themselves. You might go to start up a marriage, or to re-start one. You might go gamble. "I went to Niagara Falls because I wanted to laugh at it," says Ginger Strand, author of _Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies_ (Simon and Schuster), and she finds plenty of the historical and regional environs funny. But wanting to laugh was the reason she went there during her college years, just to smirk at the tackiness and kitsch. She has been going back, though, over and over since then, because "I do love hydroinfrastructure - water tunnels, reservoirs, canals, sewers, aqueducts." She finds it inspiring, but she also finds that the natural wonder that everyone loves about the falls is not natural at all. It has been used, changed, prettified, trivialized, exploited, and poisoned. There is thus a great deal of amusement in this wide-ranging account, but a good deal of loss and sadness as well.

"Niagara Falls as a natural wonder does not exist anymore." It is originally hard to believe this. It is not surprising that the water does not fall exactly as it did three hundred, or three thousand, years ago, but it is surprising how much people have made the changes happen in recent years. This is not entirely because of using the water for hydroelectric power, although this is certainly one cause of the change. The waterfall has hours of operation. In the summer, and during the daytime, when people come to see the falls in action, the water gets turned up to maximum flow. At night, it gets dialed back "like a fancy massaging showerhead" so that more electricity is generated. No more than half the water that could go over the falls actually does so, and an engineer assures Strand that yes, if they wanted, the power companies could divert all the water to the generators with none for the tourists. The effect on the scenery of the reduced flow has been minimized by huge engineering projects, tinkering with the flow and diverting it so that it goes evenly over Horseshoe Falls, for instance. The fall of the water is not all that has changed, of course. The "Free Niagara" movement, guided by the famous landscape architect Frederic Law Olmsted, proposed to make the surroundings of the falls to be picturesque and spiritually elevating. Strand writes that this was questionable social engineering. Worse than that, it hid the hydrodynamic and chemical exploitation of the area as industry sprang up to take advantage of the water's power. Only later did atrocities like the toxic dumps of the Love Canal come to light. There is a long history of utopian dreams for the region, but few of them have come true.

Much of Strand's book is therefore distressing. Humans have tried to do what they always try to do, take control of nature for reasons esthetic, and especially commercial, and whatever successes have come are inextricably linked to failures. The pessimism does not mean that Strand's book is preachy. There are stories of shrunken heads here, and Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy, and fake Indian legends, and of course the peculiar thrills of those who go over the falls in barrels. There is a great deal of fun here. Strand writes, "On every level, Niagara Falls is a monument to the ways America falsifies its relationship to nature, reshaping its contours, redirecting its force, claiming to submit to its will while imposing our own upon it." There is plenty of documentation here of this theme, but Strand still travels to Niagara every chance she gets. She is continually amazed at the landfills or the other examples of disharmony with nature, but that's not important. The real amazement, and she writes about it heartily and endearingly, comes from the big, green spectacle of water, falling. Anyone reading this entertaining account will understand how well-placed is her obsession.

There are really two books here, an excellent history of an American/Canadian icon, and a confusing voyage of self discovery. I loved the first story, but was often irritated by the way Strand intruded with her speculations, often negated a page later, and her personal asides.

Strand's substantive portions are really superb; her overview of the toxic site histories and her discussion of honeymoon history at the falls, for example. (But what, exactly, does a Red Hat Society meeting have to do with honeymoons?)

Strand cites The Second Greatest Disappointment: Honeymooning and Tourism at Niagara Falls by by Karen Dubinsky, an excellent study of honeymooning at Niagara. She writes a superb review in the main text of Marilyn Monroe's performance in Niagara; she's especially effective on Monroe's long walk away from the camera in one scene. She calls the wonderful Falling for Marilyn by Jock Carroll "an indispensable photographic essay". On weddings and honeymoons generally, she applauds Rebecca Mead's One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding. Again, I'm not sure why she wrote about the Red Hat Society meeting, but did appreciate her compliment to "Constable Allen A. Rodgers, who gave me new respect for the many talents of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. O Canada!"

Suggestion: read Strand's "Sources and Acknowledgments" pages, then visit her outstanding website, and then, if you have time to dawdle, read the book itself. She has put together a tremendous collection of excellent books and other sources in the book, and she has greatly strengthen some of the weaknesses in the book on her website. The sections on hydrotechnology are weak in the book but superb on the website. And her suggested tours of the Falls on her website are excellent, and surprisingly missing from the book itself.

This book is well worth reading for an understanding of Niagara if you can get past the biographical asides, and I urge you do so if you have any interest in Niagara.

Robert C. Ross 2008

If you live in the US or Canada, I would imagine that you would be in the minority if you say that you have never been to Niagara Falls. According some sources, over 2 million people visit the Falls every year. But what you see is just a small portion of the area. Ginger Strand, in her book, Inventing Niagara, shows you Niagara Falls and the surrounding area in a way that no travel guide will; She debunks the myths, shows you the environmental damage, takes you behind the scenes of the massive power plants, and introduces you to the many people that have shaped the area. And when I say "shaped," that is exactly what you see - men who have turned a natural wonder into something fake. At the end of the book, you have to wonder if Disney had something to do with the Falls, as what you see is manufactured realism.

Contents:
Introduction: Down the Memory Hole
Chapter 1: White Man's Fancy, Red Man's Fact
Chapter 2: The Eighth Wonder of the World
Chapter 3: Skipper the Two-Legged Dog
Chapter 4: The Other Side of Jordan
Chapter 5: Free Niagara
Chapter 6: King of Power, Queen of Beauty
Chapter 7: Sentiment in Liquid Form
Chapter 8: The Bomb and Tom Brokaw's Desk
Chapter 9: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Epilogue: The Voice of the Landscape
Sources and Acknowledgements
Index

Starting the book with a critique of the "Maid of the Mist" mythology, Strand moves along to other historical figures such as the early explorers, the indigenous Indians, and the developers. One of the stories that amazed me was the spectacle of the schooner Michigan, which is curiously omitted from all current guide books. In 1827, two businessmen contracted to have the schooner Michigan towed to currents above the falls with a crew of caged animals. At the appointed hour, the schooner was cut loose and a crowd of up to 20,000 watched as it plunged over the falls and was smashed to bits. Only a bear and a goose survived the ordeal. As time moves on, things don't get better for the area. As men realize the unlimited hydroelectric potential of the falls, water is diverted from the falls, reducing the flow to the minimum for the tourists. The resulting factories dump their toxic chemical and radioactive waste into the Niagara River. Or they create Superfund sites like Love Canal (Love Canal is but one Superfund site in the area, there are many others). Or they create giant landfills. The memories that travel guides omit are brought to the light by Strand, made more compelling by her interviews with people that actually lived on the land or worked in the factories.

From the opening pages, you understand that Strand has an obsession with Niagara Falls. And it is a good thing, too, as she has written a very good book on the dark side of the falls. While 99.9% of those 2 million visitors only look at what is in front of them, enjoy the casinos, or the tourist mecca that is Clifton Hill, there is much more to experience and know. Not all of it equals a happy and relaxing visit, but it is a view of the real falls. The fact that only a small percentage of the Niagara River flows over the falls and is controlled and manipulated very carefully by the power authorities is just as amazing as the history of Goat Island and the American Falls. You finish the book realizing that what you see isn't real, it is man-made. This book hasn't deterred me from visiting again, it has shown me some sites that I would like visit. And it puts into context why you see what you do. Knowing that, I can still have a pleasant visit, but it will not be spent only on the Canadian side of the falls. There is too much to do on the American side and it will be important to share those sites with the family. I can't wait to relate to the family the history of the Robert Moses Parkway or how a small band of Indians lost their land because they didn't do anything with it (this is a point that probably has some merit in today's society). The only issues I had with the book are probably trivial: Strand's overuse of the word "sublime" and the casual tone. But it is a very enjoyable, interesting book.

Be sure to read the Sources and Acknowledgements. Strand adds more personal tidbits amongst her sources, especially an anecdote concerning Norm Stressing, supervisor of operations at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant.

When most Americans conjure up an image of Niagara Falls what most likely comes to mind is artist Frederick Church's iconic 1857 painting. In those days the Falls really were wild and wonderful and although a certain amount of development had already begun to take shape in the surrounding area those who loved revelling in the spendor of nature were likely to make a trip to Niagara a top priority. But unbeknownst to most of us what we see today at Niagara Falls is largely a mirage. The powers that be in New York state and Canada literally have the ability to turn the Falls completely off if they choose to! Just what has occurred over the past two centuries that has led this venerable natural wonder to be degraded so dramatically? Ginger Strand has had a lifelong fascination with Niagara Falls. In "Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power and Lies" Strand traces the largely unknown and unreported history of this national treasure. What you will discover will likely surprise and greatly disturb you.

I certainly had no idea of the long and diverse history of Niagara Falls. Although my wife and I have visited the Falls twice in the past 15 years we were totally unaware of just how much of the scene we were observing was being manipulated. For nearly 200 years vastly competing interests have been vying for economic advantage at Niagara Falls. In the pages of "Inventing Niagara" you will be introduced to many of the key players in the ongoing saga of the Falls and the adjacent communities. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 the Falls area immediately became a popular tourist attraction. It was fun reading about so many of the offbeat amusements that sprang up in the area during the middle of the 19th century. One of the most popular attractions was a colorful high wire artist named Blondin who wowed audiences for several summers with dramatic jaunts across the gorge. You will also discover how the long lost mummy of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses I wound up in the popular Niagara Falls Museum. A fascinating story! Another important slice of Niagara history is that Harriet Tubman ran her Underground Railway System from Niagara before the Civil War. Later on in the nineteenth century a group of well-heeled individuals emerged who had other ideas about how to best utilize the enormous hydro resources at the Falls. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing and power was badly needed to turn the wheels of industry. Soon chemical factories appeared all over the area spewing their toxic fumes and waste and forever altering the landscape. Sadly, in the 1940's thousands of workers at these plants were exposed to radioactive materials as they unwittingly did work on "The Manhatten Project" for the U.S. Department of Defense. You will also learn how the Army Corps of Engineers and an assortment of other state and federal agencies and private industry interests would come to be involved in altering and reshaping the Falls.

Author Ginger Strand brings a boatload of important new material to light in "Inventing Niagara". Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews she succeeds in bringing to life the checkered history of this once beloved region and speculates what the future might have in store. It turns out that Niagara Falls was so much more than merely "the honeymoon capitol of the world". This is a book that grabbed my attention in Chapter One and just would not let go. I simply could not put it down. One of the surprise hits of 2008! Highly recommended!

This book, although well-researched, doesn't give the whole story of Niagara. It focuses great indignation upon the abuse of this natural wonder in the name of such evils as progress, commerce, and electrical power generation. The author's fascination with her own thought process, and her diary-like recounting of her everyday experiences in researching the book, does little to advance the cause.

On the positive side, I felt the book was factually honest, and it's probably useful, and certainly convenient, to have this material gathered in one place. Hence, three stars (a neutral, not a negative rating) overall.

I grew up in Niagara and still visit about twice a year. This book covers a topic I know very well and I still learned a lot. Not only is it a great read but this book really captures Niagara.

Niagara of course has great physical beauty: The falls themselves, the islands in the upper Niagara River, the lower Niagara with its gorge and rapids, and of course the great lakes of Erie and Ontario are all spectacular. However, this book also captures the darker side of Niagara. Maltreatment of Native Americans, Love Canal, disposal of toxic waste and Niagara's major role in the Manhattan project are all discussed here. Many other lesser known but important and fascinating aspects of Niagara Falls are described here.

If you are looking for a detailed scholarly history then this is not the book for you. This book does not deliver extensive explanations of Niagara's geology or natural history. Nor does it give deep technical explanations of the engineering behind the modern day harnessing of Niagara for power.

The author visited Niagara and became fascinated with the place. She started learning more about it and discovered Niagara had a rich, layered and sometimes bizarre history. In this book you accompany the author as she peels off the layers of the history of Niagara Falls.
The focus here on the American side of the falls. Niagara's history is tightly interwoven with American history as a whole. Niagara has a major role in the French and Indian war, war of 1812, Underground Railroad, WWII, industrialization and urban renewal.

If you want to learn more about Niagara Falls, its history and why it is the way it is today should read this book. Anybody planning to visit Niagara would be well served to read this book as well. For that matter, it is a good read period.

P.S. Go to the author's website for more photos and information: www.gingerstrand.com

Ginger, I am being quite informal here, is a self described fanatic about Niagara Falls. So am I. Thus, while reading her book I felt like I had found a long lost friend. We could converse (although she could not hear me!) the many subjects about the lost Niagara, the damaged Niagara,the changed Niagara, the abused Niagara; well I could go on and on. (I wish someone could force the power companies, for one lousy day, to let the water flow naturally but I digress......)

Here's what I suggest. If you are one of these people that goes to Niagara Falls and can look for a few hours and be content to move on to the casinos or Clifton Hill entertainment (ie Ripley's, haunted houses, water slides) then you are not going to appreciate this book very much. However, if you really want to know some real "geeky" (my kids word for me, alas) stuff about hydro power, chemical landfills, misplaced mice killed by radiation, etc. then you will probably adore this book, as I did. The book scores on many levels.

In "Inventing Niagara:..." Ginger Strand writes a comprehensive albeit brief history of the Niagara Falls region without once mentioning Lockport Dolomite. She explores some myths, including the Maid of the Mist and Love Canal. For a non-native, she shows a real fondness for the area. The book is a good introduction to the area. Ms. Strand's style isn't academic, but she includes an extensive bibliography which gives the reader a path toward further study. She's done her homework but doesn't show off. As an engineer, I might have liked more technical discussion of the chemical and power plants, in lieu of the red-hat stories.

The history of the area is rich with dreams, schemes, scams and characters. In about 350 pages, Ms. Strand brings them to life. You root for the area, but like Wile E. coyote's plans, things never seem to go as designed. You see the area go from frontier gateway to commerce center to crucial wartime (1812) site to industrial mecca to tourists' paradise and back and never quite getting it right. All the time there's some true believer guiding the Michigan on its course.

The single reason to (buy and) read this book is for Ms. Strand's interviews and interactions with the locals. The funniest bit, that doesn't quite happen, is when she gets the Power Vista manager to shut the Falls off, because he can. Through her, you get to see the passion that the area inspires in people. From historians to preservationists to ex-Linde workers people want what they believe is best for the area. You get a feel for the power that the area holds over people. Sadly Ms. Strand didn't get to interview Robert Moses. That would have been entertaining.

If you plan to make a pilgrimage to Niagara Falls, I recommend this book before coming. After you watch water fall over rocks for 10 minutes, the book might inspire you to look further.

If you're an aspiring civic planner, I recommend this book. Think of this as the Goofus (of Goofus and Gallant) book.
I would also recommend this book for schools and home-school libraries, especially in Western NY.

-30-

This book tells us of the REALITY of the destruction of Niagara County NY. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought a copy for all my family members who are still living in the area. Many of them had no clue of the environmental damage going on around them. This book is a MUST read for anyone living in Niagara County NY.

The book reads like a movie and you can "see" all that is happening throughout the time periods. Then when you hit chapter 8, your mouth will literally hang wide open when you see what greed, and ignorance has done to such a beautiful place. I was born in that area but I am sorry to say I will never return to it. Now I understand why so many people are dropping from cancer back there. There is a saying in Lockport NY as told to me by my sister and it is; "Everyone knows someone with cancer."

Nothing will change back there until the people are educated and informed about their surroundings but the powers that be hide reality. So I'm hoping this book gets into the hands of the people back there.

This is an eye opening reality. I recommend it to everyone no matter where on this planet you live. The things that happened in that area are still happening all around the world. We are killing ourselves.

Thank you Ms. Strand for writing a book that takes us through history, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Excellent!!!!

It was very enjoyable. Ginger Strand showed the very great diversity of history that constitutes the foundation of "present circumstances" at innumerable discernable geographic regions. This type of story is of value to many more people than just those who have lived there. I also thought that her presentation was well-balanced between facts, stories, and weirdness. I have already recommended her book to my day-job boss and one of my co-workers.