Vicki Lawrence made famous the lyrics, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” But, it would seem that no songwriter immortalized the scene when the water stopped flowing over Niagara Falls. In fact, throughout Niagara’s history, there have been several instances when the Falls were without water.

The first and only time that both the American and Canadian Falls fell silent together was on the night of March 29, 1848, when an ice jam formed on Lake Erie near Buffalo blocking the water that flows along the Niagara River and over the Falls. By the next morning a throng of sightseers had converged on the area to witness the scene and its eerie quietness. Some daredevils even explored the rocks at the base of the Falls where they were said to pick up bayonets, muskets, swords, and other relics from the War of 1812. An historic opportunity to say the least! But everyone did not see the waterless riverbed as an opportunity. Some felt it was an evil omen and churches held special services to help allay the fears. The Falls did not stay silent for long, though. On March 31st, some 30 hours after Mother Nature turned off the tap, shifting winds dislodged the ice and a sudden wall of water surged down the riverbed and over the Falls.

The American Falls was shut off on six other occasions including 1903, 1909, 1936, 1955 and 1947, each time when they froze over completely. In 1969, the American side was silent again, this time at the hands of man. For seven months the U.S. Falls were turned off when the United States Army Corps of Engineers diverted the river to permit repairs to the eroding face of the American Falls. This seven-month dewatering project was accomplished at a cost of about $1.3 million.

Douglas Farley, Director
Erie Canal Discover Center
24 Church St.
Lockport NY 14094
716.439.0431
CanalDiscovery@aol.com
www.NiagaraHistory.org