Who Turned Off the Falls?

Niagara Falls' powerful roar has been heard for centuries, so to not hear the Falls would be unusual. 

Near midnight of March 29, 1848 there was an eerie silence when the Falls ceased to flow for two days. Niagara residents knew something was abnormal. Some even thought the world was coming to an end! Many flocked to churches in fear.

However, what was happening was Niagara Falls and the Niagara River had ceased to flow to a trickle. The reason, heavy ice had plugged up the mouth of the Niagara River at Port Colborne in the south.

Once it was known why the flow had ceased, visitors and locals scurried onto the bed above the Falls retrieving items such as bayonets, muskets, canons, tomahawks and more, likely from the War of 1812.

When the wind shifted some 40 hours later the ice dam broke up and the Falls started to flow again. Church attendance dropped dramatically and residents returned to there regular routines.