Prospect Point

Based on this illustration by Saturday Evening Post's James Bingham (1917-1971) and the late Forties nondescript "make-believe" car, automobiles were once able to drive near the edge of Prospect Point at the American Falls of the Niagara River.

"Hey, buddy, you can't park there!"

Approximately where this car is pictured, cracks appeared on July 27, 1954, at the edge of the observation area, leading to the area being cordoned off. During the late afternoon of the next day, a massive rockfall occurred that forever changed the look of the falls. Reports describe motorists on Rainbow Bridge witnessing the collapse of approximately 185,000 tons of rock from the brink of the American Falls. To eliminate remaining hazards, the Niagara Frontier State Parks Commission conducted controlled blasts in August 1954.

The rockslide was the largest since 1931. The debris pile became a tourist attraction until it was removed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1969. Automobiles are no longer allowed to drive onto Prospect Point itself. The parkway section within the state park was largely removed in the early 1980s to restore the landscape, further limiting vehicle access to the immediate brink. The site is a pedestrian observation area accessible via the Niagara Scenic Parkway and local streets, requiring visitors to walk to the viewing areas.

When Niagara Did Not Fall

 

On this date in 1903, Niagara Falls ran dry. Telegraphing from Niagara Falls, a correspondent stated that pedestrians crossed over the riverbed, where human feet had never been before. Men, women, and children romped about, unconcerned that a break of the ice jam near Goat Island might submerge them at any moment. Many momentoes were taken from spots not likely to be visible again. The ice jam had diverted the water to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and almost dried up the American rapids. Residents gathered to witness a sight that they never imagined possible. The water still ran close to the mainland, but practically the entire rocky riverbed was bare.

Note: The above photo was taken in 1903 showing the fall's normal flow of water.