History Bit:
The building of the Peace Bridge was approved by the International Joint Commission on August 6, 1925. Edward Lupfer served as chief engineer.A major obstacle to building the bridge was the swift river current, which averages 7.5 to 12 miles per hour (12.1 to 19 km/h). Construction began in 1925 and was completed in the spring of 1927. On March 13, 1927, Lupfer drove the first car across the bridge. On June 1, 1927, the bridge was opened to the public.
The official opening ceremony was held two months later, on August 7, 1927, with approximately 100,000 in attendance. The festivities were transmitted to the public via radio in the first international coast-to-coast broadcast Newspapers at the time estimated that as many as 50 million listeners may have heard the broadcast
The dignitaries who took part in the dedication ceremonies included The Prince of Wales (the future Edward VIII), Prince George, Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, U.S. Vice President Charles Dawes, Secretary of State Frank Kellogg, New York Governor Al Smith and Ontario Premier Howard Ferguson.
When the bridge opened, Buffalo and Fort Erie each became the chief port of entry to their respective countries from the other. At the time it was the only vehicular bridge on the Great Lakes from Niagara Falls to Minnesota. The bridge remains one of North America's important commercial ports with four thousand trucks crossing it daily.
After new toll facilities were installed on the Canadian side in 2005, the Peace Bridge became the first (and at present the only) E-ZPass facility outside the United States.
Welcome to Ontario
The first inkling there is a major falls there!
There are going to be lots of beauty shots in this blog.
Daddy was lifting him up. He was not allowed to climb on the rail.
History Bit about the attraction:
For over 400 years people have traveled from around the globe to experience the spectacle of Niagara, one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls. In early times, the only way to get up close to the Falls was to climb down the steep bank and over huge boulders, or down crude “ladders” created from fallen trees.
The first enclosed stairs were built in 1818 and a spiral staircase was constructed in 1832 for visitors to enter what was then called the “Sheet of Falling Water” attraction. The admission fee was $1, and for an additional dollar, certificates were presented to those who had completed the trip behind the Falls.
In 1885, The Niagara Parks Commission was created to maintain the area around the Falls. In 1887, the Commissioners removed the staircase and installed a water hydraulic powered elevator. The lift held 8 to 10 visitors with their guides and took almost a minute to make the up or down trip. The first tunnels were built in 1889. Visitors were taken through the tunnel by guides carrying lanterns.
In 1902, the hydraulic lift was taken over by the Ontario Power Company when they began construction of the Ontario Power House. This plant is now decommissioned, but still sits at the river’s edge below the Falls. In exchange for using the hydraulic elevator, the Ontario Power Company agreed to sink a shaft through the rock and construct an electric elevator and a new “scenic tunnel”.
In 1925, work began on a new Table Rock House. In the new building, the elevator to the "Scenic Tunnels" attraction was twinned and dressing rooms were built for visitors to get ready with heavy rubber rain coats and boots.
As the brink of the Falls receded, tunnel extensions were made as required, until 1944 when a new tunnel was cut into the rock about 18 meters behind the original one. These tunnels were lined with concrete and lit by electricity and are the tunnels still used today.
In 1951, an observation plaza was added and in 1990, the raincoats and boots were discontinued, replaced by light biodegradable rain ponchos which may be kept as a souvenir.
In 1994, the name of the Scenic Tunnels was changed to Journey Behind the Falls.
From the platform at Journey Behind the Falls
The boys in their souvenir ponchos. They were soaking wet, and I did not want to keep them in the warm car.
Back at the top. The sun is out, no longer looks like it is going to rain
Just amazing
Daddy taking photos!
His subject
Maid of the Mist boats going back and forth
Our fellow passengers on the Maid of the Mist!
History Bit:
The Maid of the Mist is a boat tour of Niagara Falls. (The actual boats used are each named Maid of the Mist, followed by a different Roman numeral in each case.) The boat starts off at a calm part of the Niagara River, near the Rainbow Bridge, and takes its passengers past the American and Bridal Veil Falls, then into the dense mist of spray inside the curve of the Horseshoe Falls, also known as the Canadian Falls. The tour is available starting from either the Canadian or American side of the river, returning to the starting point in each case.
The first Maid of the Mist was launched in 1846 as a ferry service between the Canadian and American sides, pre-dating by two years the construction of the first Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge at the site. However, with the opening of the suspension bridge, the ferry service lost business, and by 1854, became a tourist attraction instead with the launch of a more luxurious boat
Suiting up!
Getting very close to the falls and all the mist! It was hard for me to see, since my glasses were all wet. I took a ton of photos so I could see what I missed
American Falls
Rainbow Bridge
Spikey Hair!
It was time to get moving and leave Niagara Falls. We stopped at Lake Ontario. St. Catherines, Ontario. We got pictures of us at the lake. So far, we have been in Erie and Ontario. I think there is a picture of all of us at Ontario, but I need to find it
We had hot dogs at the beach shack in Port Dalhousie. They were good!
Lon got an ice cream! A giant cone! He ate it all.
A wreck on the beach.
Canadian Farm
Back to the USA!
Information Bit about the Blue Water Bridge:
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario,Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with both Interstate 69 and Interstate 94 in Michigan.
The original span is a cantilever truss bridge with a total length of 6,178 feet (1,883 m) and a main span of 871 feet (265 m). The second, newer span is a continuous tied-arch bridge with a total length of 6,109 feet (1,862 m) and a main span of 922 feet (281 m).
Together, the two bridges are the second-busiest crossing between the United States and Canada, after the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit-Windsor. They also provide one of the four shortest routes of land travel between the eastern seaboard of the United States, and the central United States. The Blue Water Bridges are jointly owned and maintained by Canada and the United States: Blue Water Bridge Canada is in charge of the Canadian side, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is in charge of the U.S. side. A toll is charged to cross the bridges, which is used to pay for maintenance and operations.
Information Bit about the Blue Water Bridge:
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario,Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with both Interstate 69 and Interstate 94 in Michigan.
The original span is a cantilever truss bridge with a total length of 6,178 feet (1,883 m) and a main span of 871 feet (265 m). The second, newer span is a continuous tied-arch bridge with a total length of 6,109 feet (1,862 m) and a main span of 922 feet (281 m).
Together, the two bridges are the second-busiest crossing between the United States and Canada, after the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit-Windsor. They also provide one of the four shortest routes of land travel between the eastern seaboard of the United States, and the central United States. The Blue Water Bridges are jointly owned and maintained by Canada and the United States: Blue Water Bridge Canada is in charge of the Canadian side, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is in charge of the U.S. side. A toll is charged to cross the bridges, which is used to pay for maintenance and operations.
I have never seen a black squirrel! Fast little critters!
Light at Fort Gratiot
History Bit:
Originally constructed in 1825 this was the first lighthouse established in Michigan. The Lighthouse was constructed just north of Fort Gratiot. The fort was constructed in 1814 as an outpost to guard the juncture of the St. Clair River and Lake Huron. The fort was named after the engineer supervising it's construction. In September of 1828 the lighthouse was destroyed by a violent storm. The lighthouse was reconstructed by Lucius Lyon (one of Michigan's first U.S. Senator's) and operational in December of 1829. In 1861 the lighthouse was raised 20 feet to it's current height of 86 feet. In 1874 to 1875 the keepers house was built, large enough to house two families. The house has a hipped gable roof with a pointed gothic porch. In 1933 the lighthouse was automated by the Lighthouse Service with a green flashing light that was visible for seventeen miles. The light was green to guide sailors entering the St. Clair River to the port (left) side of the lighthouse. Coast Guardsmen are currently stationed at the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan with most of it's original equipment and architecture still in tact. The lighthouse is currently active in one of the busiest waterways in the world
History Bit:
Originally constructed in 1825 this was the first lighthouse established in Michigan. The Lighthouse was constructed just north of Fort Gratiot. The fort was constructed in 1814 as an outpost to guard the juncture of the St. Clair River and Lake Huron. The fort was named after the engineer supervising it's construction. In September of 1828 the lighthouse was destroyed by a violent storm. The lighthouse was reconstructed by Lucius Lyon (one of Michigan's first U.S. Senator's) and operational in December of 1829. In 1861 the lighthouse was raised 20 feet to it's current height of 86 feet. In 1874 to 1875 the keepers house was built, large enough to house two families. The house has a hipped gable roof with a pointed gothic porch. In 1933 the lighthouse was automated by the Lighthouse Service with a green flashing light that was visible for seventeen miles. The light was green to guide sailors entering the St. Clair River to the port (left) side of the lighthouse. Coast Guardsmen are currently stationed at the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan with most of it's original equipment and architecture still in tact. The lighthouse is currently active in one of the busiest waterways in the world
Lon is so happy that the lighthouse is open for tours! They opened in May. We had read earlier they were not open. I found Lon's lighthouse passport and he got a stamp.
Detail of the stairs
The staircase winds up 99 steps. Yes, I did them all! So did Lon and Mark
Lon at the top! We walked all the way around
When we got down from the light, we had a small history lesson from a very nice man. He told us about the storm of November 1913. And showed up a picture of the lighthouse after the storm. If it had lasted just a little longer, the light would have been lost.
A cargo ship under the Blue Water Bridge
Lon on the shore of Lake Huron! 3 out of 5 ! We taught Lon the way to remember the Great Lakes. There are many HOMES on the Great Lakes. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior!
Lon had a good day. We all did!
Tomorrow is on to Frankenmuth and the U.P.! Another fun day in store for us!
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