The tunnel once contained 71,000 gallons of water moving at nine meters per second.
(Credit: Niagara Parks)
(CNN) --
Niagara Falls, a natural wonder visited by everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Mark Twain, has been a magnet for travelers from around the world for at least two centuries.
But until this year, a huge tunnel buried deep within the waterfall had been closed to visitors.
The rocks below the gigantic triple waterfall that straddles the border between New York and the Canadian province of Ontario are riddled with chambers carved out to harness the powerful forces of nature crashing down upon them.
Since July this year, a tunnel carved into the rocks under Niagara has also been open to the public.
The tunnel once channeled water from the Niagara River to convert it into hydraulic power.
(Credit: Niagara Parks)
And now, a 670-meter tunnel built more than a century ago on the Canadian side has been opened, revealing the impressive scale of these engineering marvels.
Germany and Denmark build the longest submerged tunnel in the world
Since July 2022, it has been part of the tours of the decommissioned Niagara Parks Power Plant, which began a year earlier.
Exploring it offers a fascinating insight into the pioneering work that helped bring this corner of North America into the modern age.
The power plant, which operated from 1905 to 2006, diverted water from the mighty Niagara River to power giant generators that electrified regional industry and helped make the nearby Great Lakes port of Buffalo known as the City of Light.
The region surrounding the waterfall, according to the station's guide, Elena Zoric, was once a center of activity for entrepreneurs who wanted to take advantage of hydropower.
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Adams Hydroelectric Power Station was the first to open and operated on the US side from 1895 to 1961. On the Canadian side, the Ontario Power Company operated from 1905 to 1999, and the Toronto Power Generating Station from 1906 to 1974.
mixed architecture
The 670-meter tunnel was carved into the rock more than a century ago.
Credit: Niagara Parks
Today, the Niagara Parks Station is the world's only fully intact hydroelectric power station of its time.
Originally operated by the Canadian Niagara Power Company, it used Westinghouse generators to create alternating current patented by inventor Nikola Tesla, cutting-edge technology at the time.
The plant, as the Zoric guide explains to visitors, was built at a time when aesthetics ruled.
Its rustic limestone exterior and blue shingles were, she says, an attempt by New York architect Algernon S. Bell to have the structure blend into the falls.
Before reaching the tunnel, visitors to the power station are shown a model of the enormous engineering works that were carried out to convert the waters into electricity.
Cylindrical blue generators once converted the force of water into electricity.
Credit: Niagara Parks
Zoric shows where the water entered, where it went down a shaft to power turbines, and where it passed through a tunnel to a discharge point at the base of Horseshoe Falls, the largest of Niagara's three waterfalls.
Marcelo Gruosso, Senior Director of Engineering and Operations for the Niagara Parks Commission, has been involved with the project since it was first mooted in 2017.
“The plant started with two generators, and by 1924, all 11 seen here today were installed,” he says, walking through the high-ceilinged building and pointing to a line of blue, cylindrical generators that fill the space.
"Next to each generator is a 'governor' that regulated the flow of water to a turbine. An air brake on the regulator helped adjust the flow. They needed exactly 250 rpm to give them 25 hertz."
One of a Kind
The tunnel once contained 71,000 gallons of water moving at nine meters per second.
(Credit: Niagara Parks)
A glass elevator takes visitors down 55 meters, passing through the six levels of infrastructure necessary for the hydroelectric power generation process.
At the bottom is the tunnel through which the water would come out.
The tunnel, almost eight meters high and six meters wide, is also a unique historical attraction and is included in the price of admission to the plant.
"It took thousands of workers four years to excavate the shale under the main generation hall using flashlights, dynamite, picks and shovels," says Gruosso.
"During its descent, the water turned the blades of the turbine," he says.
"They were connected to a 41-meter-long shaft that went up to the main plant and turned the alternator rotor, generating electricity."
The plant used the power of the Niagara River to run gigantic generators that electrified regional industry and helped make the nearby Great Lakes port of Buffalo known as the City of Lights.
Credit: Niagara Parks
Walking down the arched passageway of the tunnel, he points out the chalky white marks that reach almost to the top of the arched brick walls.
"You can see how far the water went," he says.
"The tunnel contained 71,000 gallons of water moving at nine meters per second."
Built like a fortress, the gently curving tunnel consists of four layers of brick, 18 inches of concrete, and is surrounded by shale.
"It's amazing what they did without electricity," says Gruosso.
"We did some minor repairs to the brick and added rock anchors to the arch to ensure structural integrity, but it's in pretty good shape. It's only been serviced twice since it was built, once in the '50s and once in the '90s." , bill.
a unique view
Now tourists can go out on a platform to see Niagara Falls.
Credit: Niagara Parks
Near the end of the tunnel, a rumble begins to fill the air.
Natural light streams in as the trail exits to a 20-meter river-level overlook that's almost at the base of Horseshoe Falls.
Gruosso has to shout to be heard over the incessant pounding.
"This is where the water from the tunnel empties into the river. It's the best place to see the falls."
The platform also offers visitors a vantage point to watch the tour boats, filled with passengers in raincoats, bobbing like corks at the foot of the falls.
To complete the power plant experience, there is an evening show titled "Currents: Niagara's Power Transformed."
The light and sound experience depicts the history of the power plant and includes 3D projections of moving water, turbines and sparks of electricity.
The visit to the power plant and the tunnel lasts about two hours, but to attend the night show it is recommended to stay overnight.
Accommodations range from the highest-end falls-view hotels like the Hilton to the more budget-friendly establishments like the Days Inn.
An aerial view shows Niagara's Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara Parks Power Station next to it.
Credit: Niagara Parks
When it comes to food, Niagara Falls was once a city of
hot dogs
and fries.
Fast food still exists, but the destination has improved.
Niagara Parks establishments like the Table Rock House restaurant offer menus inspired by local cuisine, and there are independent restaurants like AG, which offers produce from its own farm.
Also worth visiting is the Niagara Parkway, which winds along the Niagara River and can be explored on foot or on a rented electric bike.
Stops along the way include the Whirlpool Overlook and the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station, a monolithic structure along the river that currently contributes to Southern Ontario's power grid.
A trip to Niagara Falls is energizing in many ways.
It is a place of natural beauty, but it can also make us reflect on the natural forces that continue to shape our modern lives.
Niagara Falls
