When tourists visit Niagara, attention is often turned to the cluster of islands in the Niagara River just above the Falls. Commonly recognized are the well known Goat Island, Three Sisters Islands and Luna Island. However, even seasoned locals fail to realize that a veritable plethora of other islands exist above the Falls. Some like Green Island and Tower Island are still seen today, and some have ceased to exist due to man-made construction or natural changes in water level.

Willow Island was one such man-made island located along the American shoreline nearest the mainland directly across from Goat Island. This island was created in 1759 when Daniel Joncaire dug a canal above the Falls to drive a water wheel to power a small sawmill. This construction created a small island that was named for the many willow trees lining the banks. The New York State Parks Commission filled in the canal in the 1960s when the Robert Moses Parkway was under construction and Willow Island ceased to exist.

Another casualty of the Robert Moses Parkway was Grass Island. The island existed as a small elongated natural island located along the American shoreline about 400 feet above the Falls. Though the state filled in the area between the island and the mainland, the name Grass Island was carried over to a pool of water above the NYS Power Authority intake by the International Water Control Dam. This area is still called the Grass Island Pool.

The Canadians were not immune to disappearing islands, either. For many years a small crescent shaped island existed that throughout the years went by the names Cedar Island, Swayze's Island, Long Island or Crescent Island. In true Canadian fashion, the island, located 600 feet above the Horseshoe Falls, was used to house a tourist "Pagoda" that served as an observation tower overlooking the Falls. Cedar Island proved to be a casualty of the Canadian Rankine Power Plant as a result of land fill in the area.

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