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OFFICIAL BLOG OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM |
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AN OLD ADVERTISEMENT TELLS A LOT ABOUT NIAGARA’S HISTORY
By GEORGE BAILEY
2010-10-06 08:46:29
| Recently, in my Niagara Falls memorabilia collection, I came across an historic ad about Niagara. I’ve photographed the delicate ad and it appears with this blog.
Here’s what I learned from the piece.
I know it was written about 1887 (just after the opening of the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park (the original name of The Niagara Parks Commission). I know this because the records of the NPC indicate “Zybach And Company, Photographers and Indian Traders” were given the exclusive rights to operate in the new park.
I never knew the roadway just south of the falls beyond Dufferin Islands was called Grand Rapids Drive. Very nice, and maybe we should still refer to it this way at this location.
I can remember as a young man visiting the Old Burning Spring (mid 1960’s) referred to in the ad. It was a bit hokey but it did attract visitors. It’s also long gone. I wonder if there is still a “burning spring” somewhere in the ground in the Niagara area.
The Dufferin Café has also long gone but a restaurant, Edgewaters Tap and Grill still sits on the same location. You can get a great view from the balcony of the American Falls, but engineers have placed a large tall street lamp smack dab in the middle of what was once a lovely view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
It’s amazing and nostalgic to read old ads about Niagara.
For more details, visit:
http://www.niagarafallstourism.com
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Photos by George Bailey...
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