The Fight To Preserve Niagara
An Exhibit on The Niagara Movement and the creation of the Niagara Falls State Park
Timeline of Events
1860s-1870’s: Niagara Falls becomes heavily commercialized with private companies charging fees for access and constructing unsightly industrial buildings around the area. Large mills and factories are built along the edge of the gorge and the river banks upstream of the Falls.
1869: Frederick Law Olmsted visits Niagara Falls and begins advocating for the preservation of the site as a public resource, expressing concern over its exploitation and degradation. Olmsted, who designed New York City’s Central Park, believed that parks should be places of natural beauty.
1880: “Special report of New York State Survey on the Preservation of the Scenery of Niagara Falls, 1879” written by Frederick Law Olmsted and James T. Gardiner is published. The report promoted public ownership of Niagara Falls.
1883: The Niagara Falls Association was formed by Olmsted and others for the purpose of advocating legislation and other measures related to the restoration and preservation of the scenery at Niagara in accordance with the plan proposed by the Commissioners of the State Survey.
“The Falls themselves man cannot touch; but he is fast destroying their beautiful frame of foliage, and throwing around them an artificial setting of manufactories and bazaars that rouse in the intelligent visitor deep feelings of regret and even of resentment.”
– James T. Gardner, Special Report of New York State Survey on the Preservation of the Scenery of Niagara Falls, 1879
March 14, 1883: The Niagara Falls Association supported a bill known as the Niagara Appropriations Bill to establish a state park at Niagara Falls which passed the Assembly on March 14, 1883, 68 to 39 and then passed in the Senate 21 to 10. Governor Grover Cleveland signed the bill on April 30.
May 29, 1883: The first board of Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara were appointed by Grover Cleveland and included former Lieutenant Gov. William Dorsheimer (Buffalo), former Comptroller Andrew H. Green (New York), J. Hampden Robb (New York), Sherman S. Rogers (Buffalo), Martin B. Anderson L.L.D. (Rochester). Dr. Anderson was elected president and Mr. Robb secretary and treasurer.
June 9, 1883: The first meeting of the Commission of the State Reservation at Niagara was held with the key decision being the size of the Reservation—412 acres, 300 of which were under water. Also at this meeting, negotiations between the Commission and adjacent property owners resulted in how private land would be procured and at what costs.
October 27, 1883: Surveyor and State Engineer Thomas Evershed was tasked with making the first survey of the park. He completed this task on this date.
“Niagara is not simply the crowning glory of New York State, but is the highest distinction of the nation and of the continent of America. No other like gift of nature equally holds the interest of the world or operates as an inducement for men to cross the sea.”
– Commissioners Report XIX
1885: Adjacent properties were appraised between 1883-1885 resulting in nearly $4 million in claims with only $1.4 million in public funding available. The largest single award was $525,000 which was made to the Porter family for Goat Island.
April 30, 1885: A bill to allocate $1 million in bonds to acquire private lands passed the legislature and Governor David B. Hill signed the necessary bond issue on this day.
May 20, 1885: An act “to provide for the maintenance and management of the State Reservation at Niagara” enlarged the powers of the Commissioners so as to give them full control of the State’s newly acquired property and was signed on this date.
July 15, 1885: The park opens with an official dedication of the Niagara Reservation, restoring public access to the falls and marking the beginning of the state park’s operation. Political leaders of the day provide speeches to mark the occasion.
1887: “General Plan for the Improvement of the State Reservation at Niagara” was created by Vaux and Olmsted as a master plan for improvements which included scenic roadways, walking trails, and a limited number of shelters.
“Our work today is to restore a neglected oracle; to manifest our sense of the pre-eminent importance of this miracle of nature as a teacher- a source of ever softening and elevating influence- to leave its own creative powers to reproduce its original majesty, and to throw wide open its beautiful gates, that all, of whatever rate or clime, may enter in.”
– James C. Carter during an address delivered at the celebration of the opening of the Niagara Reservation, July 15th, 1885
Exhibit Items
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“Gigantic Ice Formation”, Drawing, 1856
Drawing of Gigantic Ice Formation on American Falls View, 1856 by S. Barnett. A version of this illustration was engraved and appeared in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, 1856.
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“American Falls (from Table Rock)”, Lithograph 1848
Color lithograph Niagara Falls, American Falls (from Table Rock), by Augustus Kollner, 1848. Plate 21 from “Views of American Cities”, a series of 54 plates that was published between 1848 to 1851.
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“Falls of Niagara”, Lithograph, 1849
The Falls of Niagara painted from Nature by Régis de Trobriand, lithographed by Sabatier printed by Cattier. Image shows a few spectators on the shore of the Niagara Falls, with a sightseeing steamboat on the lower right.
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“Niagara” Oil painting, by George Inness
A painting by famous landscape artist George Inness of Niagara Falls. Inness did a series of paintings of Niagara Falls, some of which focused on the natural beauty of the area and some which documented the human impact on the area. Niagara Falls was a favorite subject of Inness’s, who first visited Niagara in 1881 and depicted the falls a total of nine times in oil and watercolor.
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Portrait of Thomas V. Welch
Portrait of Thomas V. Welch, one of the key members of the Free Niagara Movement which worked towards Preserving Niagara Falls and keeping it free.
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“The Two Sister Islands”, Etching, 1887
The Two Sister Islands by Amos W. Sangster (Canadian-American, 1883-1904), XVIII- 1887. Etching signed in pencil in lower right. Though not an active known member of the Free Niagara Movement, as an artist and admirer of the scenery of the Falls, Sangster would likely have appreciated the efforts of the movement.
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Black & White photograph, Niagara Falls, 1870s
Black and White photograph of Niagara Falls showing the banks from Bath Island in the American Rapids. This photograph shows the amount of buildings and industrialization that had occurred over the years. This photo was published in the Special report of New York State Survey on the Preservation of the Scenery of Niagara Falls, 1879.
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Pamphlet calling for Preservation of Falls, 1882
Pamphlet discussing whether or not Niagara Falls should be preserved. Written by J.B. Harrison of the Niagara Falls Association and dated Dec. 19, 1882. This is an example of the type of media and writings that was used by the Free Niagara Movement to gain favor for their cause.
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Village shore, Upper American Falls, 1870s
Black and White photo showing the disfigured banks of the Village shore of the Upper American Falls, 1870s. This photo shows the fences and gates along the shoreline interrupting the natural beauty of Niagara Falls. This photo was published in the Special report of New York State Survey on the Preservation of the Scenery of Niagara Falls, 1879.
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Letter from Citizens Committee, June 5, 1885
Letter to Leighton Williams, Secretary of the Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara, from Alva H. Gluck, Secretary, Citizens Committee, June 5, 1885 discussing the formal opening of the State Reservation at Niagara. The letter states the hope for the Citizens of Niagara Falls to be invited to the event and the excitement for the opening.
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Land acquisition map, Whitney, Gerauld, and Trott, 1884
Bound book of Ansley Wilcox, Counselor to the Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara: Example of map outlining subdivision maps & descriptions of lands to be acquired for State Reservation at Niagara by State of New York and who were sought to be acquired by Commissioners July 1884.
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Wilcox Brief, 1884
Wilcox brief on agreement as to value before appraisers. Rough estimates on land (including waterpower) and improvements not including Residence property. Ansley Wilcox was counsel for the commission acquiring land for the Niagara Falls Reservation from 1883 to 1885. He later became a member of the Reservation Commission from 1910 until his retirement in 1917.
Fun Fact: The total amount awarded for Goat Island in 1884 was $525,000 which would be about $17 million in 2025!
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Stereoscope
Viewing stereoscope with wooden handle. Stereographs consist of two nearly identical photographs or photomechanical prints, paired to produce the illusion of a single three-dimensional image, usually when viewed through a stereoscope. Stereographs were first made in the 1850s and they were most popular between 1870 and 1920.
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Stereograph
Stereograph of Prospect Park, Niagara Falls, NY ca. 1885-1905 around the time of Niagara Falls becoming a State park.
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Prospect Park, Rustic Bridge Postcard
Colored postcard of Rustic Bridge in Prospect Park, dated ca. early 1900s.
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Petition for Preservation of the Falls, 1880s
Petition for Preservation of Niagara Falls, dated sometime in the 1880s. This is an example of a petition that would have been circulated by the Free Niagara Movement in order to drum up support for their cause and to help pass legislation in their favor.
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Lower American Rapids, Bath Island Paper Mills, and Goat Island Bridge, 1870s
Black and White photograph of the Lower American Rapids, Bath Island Paper Mills, and Goat Island Bridge. Another photograph that shows the industrialization that was occurring by the 1870s that the Free Niagara Movement was hoping to end. This photo was published in the Special report of New York State Survey on the Preservation of the Scenery of Niagara Falls, 1879.
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State Reservation at Niagara Ordinances, 1885
Original State Reservation at Niagara Ordinances at the opening of the park in 1885.
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State Reservation at Niagara Invitation, July 15 1885
Invitation to the opening of the State Reservation at Niagara’s opening on July 15, 1885.
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Stone Bridge to Goat Island postcard, 1907
Postcard showing stone bridge to Goat Island, dated on back August 9, 1907. Photograph likely taken in early days of Niagara Falls State Park.
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Official Programme of the Opening of the State Reservation, July 15, 1885
The official opening day programme for the State Reservation at Niagara, July 15, 1885. Includes the events for the day, speakers, and more information on the ceremonies for the day.
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View from Prospect Park
View from Prospect Park, undated. Most likely late 1800s-early 1900s based on clothing and setting cues.
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Commissioners Meeting Notes, July 15, 1885
Original meeting notes from the July 15, 1885 meeting of the Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara. This was a meeting to officially and ceremoniously take land for the State Reservation at Niagara.
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Sepia toned Niagara Falls photograph
Image of Niagara Falls mounted on card, ca. late 1800s-early 1900s.
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Tourists in front of Whirlpool Rapids, ca. 1890s
Image of Tourists in front of Whirlpool Rapids/Bridge ca. 1890s: Family along Whirlpool Rapids, Niagara Gorge Niagara Falls, NY; Mamie Kiepers & Two Sons at Niagara Falls ca. 1890s (after 1883, before 1896).
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Goat Island Bridge Over Upper Rapids, 1901
Postcard of Goat Island Bridge over Upper Rapids in Niagara Falls, NY circa 1901.
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Olmsted Letter to Dorsheimer, 1886
Handwritten letter written by Frederick Law Olmsted to William Dorsheimer on October 26, 1886. This letter discusses the continuing improvement work Olmsted and his architectural partner, Calvert Vaux were hoping to complete on the State Reservation at Niagara. This plan would be called the General Plan for the Improvement of the State Reservation at Niagara, 1887.
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