John Joseph Albright (1 January 1848 Buchanan, Virginia – 20 August 1931 Buffalo, New York ) was a businessman and philanthropist, and one of Buffalo's leading socialites at the turn of the 20th century.
152-589: Albright was born on January 18, 1848, in Buchanan, Virginia , to Joseph Jacob Albright and Elizabeth S. Albright, both from Pennsylvania. The family was descended from Andrew Albright, a gunsmith who supplied arms to the troops of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War , who had come to America in 1750. Albright's father, Joseph, was an iron manufacturer and eventually, president of
304-680: A Lawrence portrait of George IV , at the American Art Association - Anderson Galleries in New York City as a gift to Buffalo. In February 1929, the University at Buffalo conferred upon Albright the Chancellor's Medal, its highest honor, recognition of his achievements throughout his life. Albright's second wife, Susan, was a member of the board of Women Managers' Entertainment & Ceremony subcommittee and
456-568: A NOAA gauging station above the falls. During winter, the Power Authority of New York works with Ontario Power Generation to prevent ice on the Niagara River from interfering with power production or causing flooding of shoreline property. One of their joint efforts is an 2,700-metre-long (8,800 ft) ice boom, which prevents the buildup of ice, yet allows water to continue flowing downstream. In addition to minimum water volume,
608-711: A landslide . This drastically reduced power production and put tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs at stake. In 1957, Congress passed the Niagara Redevelopment Act, which granted the New York Power Authority the right to fully develop the United States' share of the Niagara River's hydroelectric potential. In 1961, when the Niagara Falls hydroelectric project went online, it was the largest hydropower facility in
760-758: A 42-year monopoly concession from the British government for the Pitch Lake in Trinidad , the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world. Barber used the asphalt from Trinidad for paving city streets, and by 1900, Barber had laid over 12 million square yards of Trinidad asphalt pavement in 70 American cities at a cost of $ 35 million. In 1883, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company tightened its shipping routes and started shipping coal directly by rail through Buffalo, New York, to ship their coal to
912-587: A barrel with only minor injuries. Soucek was fined $ 500 for performing the stunt without a license. In 1985, he was fatally injured while attempting to re-create the Niagara drop at the Houston Astrodome . His aim was to climb into a barrel hoisted to the rafters of the Astrodome and to drop 55 m (180 ft) into a water tank on the floor. After his barrel released prematurely, it hit the side of
1064-665: A brick building at the corner of Transit and Ellicott (now Walden) for a bank, community center, and village hall. The company donated land for the German Lutheran Church, St. Peter and St. Paul, St. James, the Northside Fire House, Depew Village Park, and a YMCA . The company built streets, houses, and the sewer system. In 1897, Albright and Edmund B. Hayes bought Buffalo Bolt Company , which George C. Bell had founded in 1859. Buffalo Bolt produced nuts and bolts that were used by manufacturers in
1216-588: A brief account of the experience: "When I came into its awful presence the power of discription failed me, an irrisistible power closed my lips." Being on the Canadian border, Niagara Falls was on one of the routes of the Underground Railroad . The falls were also a popular tourist attraction for Southern slaveowners, who would bring their enslaved workers on the trip. "Many a time the trusted body-servant, or slave-girl, would leave master or mistress in
1368-418: A capacity of 40,000 kWs , running over a right of way that was 300 ft wide and 32,000 ft long. This ran north to an area down the Niagara River known as Devil's Hole , where they then crossed the river into New York across a 1,300-ft-long span. In addition to the high-tension feeders , tabout 30 miles of lines served Canadian customers at generator voltage. The power that was transmitted to New York
1520-463: A challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century. Niagara Falls is 27 km (17 mi) northwest of Buffalo, New York , and 69 km (43 mi) southeast of Toronto , between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario , and Niagara Falls, New York . Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age ), and water from
1672-585: A descendant of Schoellkopf's firm, formed the Cataract Company headed by Edward Dean Adams, with the intent of expanding Niagara Falls' power capacity. In 1890, a five-member International Niagara Commission headed by Sir William Thomson among other distinguished scientists deliberated on the expansion of Niagara hydroelectric capacity based on seventeen proposals but could not select any as the best combined project for hydraulic development and distribution. In 1893, Westinghouse Electric (which had built
SECTION 10
#17327917047491824-639: A donation of $ 350,000 (equivalent to $ 12,818,000 in 2023) so the then Fine Arts Academy, founded in 1862, could have a permanent home. The building was designed by Green and was originally intended to be used as the Fine Arts Pavilion for the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, but delays in its construction and increased costs (the total cost was purported to be closer to $ 1,000,000 (equivalent to $ 33,911,000 in 2023)) caused it to remain uncompleted until 1905, when it opened as
1976-413: A few shelters designed to protect the landscape while allowing large numbers of visitors to enjoy the falls. Commemorative statues, shops, restaurants, and a 1959 glass and metal observation tower were added later. Preservationists continue to strive to strike a balance between Olmsted's idyllic vision and the realities of administering a popular scenic attraction. Preservation efforts continued well into
2128-474: A focus of pleasure and honeymoon visits. After World War II, the auto industry, along with local tourism boards, began to promote Niagara honeymoons. In about 1840, the English industrial chemist Hugh Lee Pattinson traveled to Canada, stopping at Niagara Falls long enough to make the earliest known photograph of the falls, a daguerreotype in the collection of Newcastle University . It was once believed that
2280-547: A location roughly approximately 60 metres (200 ft) south of the Railway Suspension Bridge. This one was of an entirely different design; it was a cantilever bridge to provide greater strength. The Niagara Cantilever Bridge had two cantilevers which were joined by steel sections; it opened officially in December 1883, and improvements were made over the years for a stronger structure. As rail traffic
2432-561: A long tradition of daredevils trying to go over the falls. Englishman Captain Matthew Webb , the first man to swim the English Channel , drowned in 1883 trying to swim the rapids downriver from the falls. On October 24, 1901, 63-year-old Michigan school teacher Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to go over the falls in a barrel as a publicity stunt; she survived, bleeding, but otherwise unharmed. Soon after exiting
2584-406: A plant containing two blast furnaces . In 1904, Rogers invited Albright, Hayes, and Clement to accompany him on one of his periodic visits, as they had not seen the property before. Purportedly, Frank H. Goodyear , another Buffalo businessman, heard of the trip and offered the use of his private car for the occasion. Rogers accepted and invited Goodyear and his brother Charles W. Goodyear to join
2736-580: A potential source of power. The first known effort to harness the waters was in 1750, when Daniel Joncaire built a small canal above the falls to power his sawmill. Augustus and Peter Porter purchased this area and all of American Falls in 1805 from the New York state government, and enlarged the original canal to provide hydraulic power for their gristmill and tannery. In 1853, the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Mining Company
2888-469: A proposal for international discussions on the establishment of a public park. Goat Island was one of the inspirations for the American side of the effort. William Dorsheimer , moved by the scene from the island, brought Olmsted to Buffalo in 1868 to design a city park system, which helped promote Olmsted's career. In 1879, the New York state legislature commissioned Olmsted and James T. Gardner to survey
3040-793: A sales agent for Carnegie, Phipps & Company Limited , which later merged with the Carnegie Steel Company , of which Smith was its Buffalo representative. In 1890, the US Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company and its subsidiary Cataract Company formed the International Niagara Commission composed of experts, to analyze proposals to harness Niagara Falls on the US/Canada border to generate power. They settled electricity ( alternating current ) as being
3192-475: A section turned upwards into a spillway , called a surge tank , which served to reduce fluctuations in heat and pressure during both the increase and decrease of loads. The open spillways sent any excess water to the Niagara River if the load suddenly reduced, which prevented any unwanted rise in pressure. From the distributing station, the transmission lines carried power at 60,000 volts each with
SECTION 20
#17327917047493344-498: A series of bridges. In 1955, the area between the rocks and Goat Island was filled in, creating Terrapin Point . In the early 1980s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filled in more land and built diversion dams and retaining walls to force the water away from Terrapin Point. Altogether, 120 m (400 ft) of Horseshoe Falls were eliminated, including 30 m (100 ft) on the Canadian side. According to author Ginger Strand,
3496-532: A state reservation at Niagara, and the Niagara Falls Association, a private citizens group founded in 1882, mounted a great letter-writing campaign and petition drive in support of the park. Professor Charles Eliot Norton and Olmsted were among the leaders of the public campaign, while New York Governor Alonzo Cornell opposed. Preservationists' efforts were rewarded on April 30, 1885, when Governor David B. Hill signed legislation creating
3648-482: A supplemental report detailing plans to restore the falls. Their intent was "to restore and conserve the natural surroundings of the Falls of Niagara, rather than to attempt to add anything thereto", and the report anticipated fundamental questions, such as how to provide access without destroying the beauty of the falls, and how to restore natural landscapes damaged by man. They planned a park with scenic roadways, paths and
3800-515: A vertical drop of more than 50 m (160 ft). During peak daytime tourist hours, more than 168,000 m (5.9 million cu ft) of water goes over the crest of the falls every minute. Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by flow rate. Niagara Falls is famed for its beauty and is a valuable source of hydroelectric power . Balancing recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been
3952-517: Is 320 m (1,050 ft) wide. The distance between the American extremity of Niagara Falls and the Canadian extremity is 1,039 m (3,409 ft). The peak flow over Horseshoe Falls was recorded at 6,370 m /s (225,000 cu ft/s). The average annual flow rate is 2,400 m /s (85,000 cu ft/s). Since the flow is a direct function of the Lake Erie water elevation, it typically peaks in late spring or early summer. During
4104-525: Is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge , spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls , which straddles the international border of the two countries. It is also known as the Canadian Falls. The smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls lie within
4256-510: Is derived from the name given to a branch of the local native Neutral Confederacy , who are described as the Niagagarega people on several late-17th-century French maps of the area. According to George R. Stewart , it comes from the name of an Iroquois town called Onguiaahra , meaning "point of land cut in two". In 1847, an Iroquois interpreter stated that the name came from Jaonniaka-re , meaning "noisy point or portage". To Mohawks ,
4408-494: Is diverted via four huge tunnels that arise far upstream from the waterfalls. The water then passes through hydroelectric turbines that supply power to nearby areas of Canada and the United States before returning to the river well past the falls. When electrical demand is low, the Lewiston units can operate as pumps to transport water from the lower bay back up to the plant's reservoir , allowing this water to be used again during
4560-552: Is halved at night and during the low tourist season winter months and only attains a minimum flow of 1,400 cubic metres per second (49,000 cu ft/s). Water diversion is regulated by the 1950 Niagara Treaty and is administered by the International Niagara Board of Control. The verdant green color of the water flowing over Niagara Falls is a byproduct of the estimated 60 tonnes/minute of dissolved salts and rock flour (very finely ground rock) generated by
4712-503: Is now illegal, on both sides of the border, to attempt to go over the falls. Charles Stephens , a 58-year-old barber from Bristol, England, went over the falls in a wooden barrel in July 1920 and was the first person to die in an endeavor of this type. Bobby Leach went over Horseshoe Falls in a crude steel barrel in 1911 and needed rescuing by William "Red" Hill Sr. Hill again came to the rescue of Leach following his failed attempt to swim
John J. Albright - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-821: Is owned by the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania . Tarbell also painted a portrait of Albright that is currently at the Albright-Knox gallery. John J. Albright died on August 20, 1931, at the age of 83, six weeks after an intestinal operation. He is buried with his family at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo . Albright was elected a director of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy in 1887, served as president from 1895 to 1897, and remained on
5016-650: Is provided by the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office. Fire protection is provided by the Botetourt County Department of Fire and EMS, which operates a fire station within the town. Previously, the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Department provided fire protection to the town and surrounding area. In 2012, the volunteer department released its charter of incorporation and became a volunteer component of
5168-558: Is the closest airport with commercial service to the town. U.S. Route 11 runs through the center of town as Main Street. Interstate 81 runs along the northwest side of the town, with access from Exit 167 to the north and Exit 162 to the south, both with Route 11. State Route 43 crosses the James River with Route 11 in the center of town; Route 43 leads northwest up the James River to U.S. Route 220 at Eagle Rock and southeast to
5320-652: The Albright Art Gallery . The Pan-American Exposition was held in Buffalo from May 1 through November 2, 1901. Green designed the gallery along the lines of a Greek temple and included 102 columns, more than any other American structure except the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. The building was constructed using 5,000 tons of white marble from a Maryland quarry, the same marble used in
5472-603: The Albright Memorial Building in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in honor of his parents. The building, also known as Scranton Public Library, was completed in early 1893 and is a two-story, L-shaped, Indiana limestone and Medina sandstone building with Châteauesque -style design elements. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. In 1892, Albright helped found
5624-574: The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Peaks of Otter . The CSX operated James River Subdivision and Norfolk Southern operated Roanoke District both run through the town. The closest passenger rail service is located in Roanoke . Niagara Falls This is an accepted version of this page Niagara Falls ( / n aɪ ˈ æ ɡ ər ə , - ɡ r ə / ny- AGG -ər-ə, -grə )
5776-584: The Depew, New York , area (which straddles the towns of Lancaster and Cheektowaga and lies to the east of Buffalo) as a permanent location for its shops and auxiliary establishments. At the time, only minimal infrastructure was in the area. Chauncey Depew , attorney for Cornelius Vanderbilt ’s railroad interests and president of New York Central Railroad, formed the Depew Investment Company and purchased 1,000 acres of land north and south of
5928-829: The First National Bank , coal agent for Delaware and Hudson Canal Company , and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad . His family lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania , when he was a child and he attended public schools in Scranton, then Williston Academy in Massachusetts , ultimately graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York , with a degree in mining engineering in 1868. Following his graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute , Albright returned to Scranton. At that time, coal
6080-564: The Great Southern Lumber Company ), William H. Gratwick (founder of the lumber firm of Gratwick, Smith & Fryer Lumber Co ), Edmund B. Hayes ( civil engineer and businessman with the Union Bridge Company ), William H. Hotchkiss (a lawyer with Hotchkiss & Bush and later state superintendent of insurance ), Edward H. Hutchinson (of Maerz Lithographing Co.), Charles H. Keep (secretary of
6232-581: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Washington Monument in Washington, DC. When the gallery opened on May 31, 1905, Harvard University President Charles William Eliot gave the keynote address and four city choral organizations performed together. Richard Watson Gilder read a poem he had written celebrating the gallery's opening. Albright, however, did not give a speech or appear in any photographs from
John J. Albright - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-858: The New York State Railways , the Mohawk Valley Company , the Rochester Railway & Light Company, director of the New York Central Railway , the Michigan Central Railway , West Shore Railway , Schenectady Railway Company , Havana Railway, and Light & Power Company ), among others. The acquired company's officers were Francis V. Greene , president (also vice president of Ontario Power Company); F. B. H. Paine, vice president and chief engineer (formerly export manager of
6536-594: The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company , and James Forrestal , who would become the first United States Secretary of Defense , owned enough shares to control both Fidelity and M&T. In 1908, separate from his involvement with the Fidelity Trust and Guaranty Company, Albright served as vice president of Marine Bank 's board of directors, along with Stephen M. Clement (president), Charles W. Goodyear (founder of
6688-481: The Niagara Gorge in 1920. In 1928, "Smiling Jean" Lussier tried an entirely different concept, going over the falls in a large rubber ball; he was successful and survived the ordeal. In the "Miracle at Niagara", on July 9, 1960, Roger Woodward, a seven-year-old American boy, was swept over Horseshoe Falls after the boat in which he was cruising lost power; two tourists pulled his 17-year-old sister Deanne from
6840-843: The Nichols School by bringing William Nichols to Buffalo to set up the school, and supported the Elmwood School (which merged with the Franklin School in 1941 to form the Elmwood Franklin School, founded in 1889. In 1904, he donated the land for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo and gave significant donations to the South Park Botanical Gardens . His largest gift was in 1900, when he made
6992-894: The North America Railway Hall of Fame in 2006. There was a lengthy dispute as to which agency should build the replacement for the Niagara Railway Arch, or Lower Steel Arch Bridge in the Upper Niagara area. When that was resolved, construction of a steel bridge commenced in February 1940. Named the Rainbow Bridge , and featuring two lanes for traffic separated by a barrier, it opened in November 1941 and remains in use today. The enormous energy of Niagara Falls has long been recognized as
7144-411: The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company . While in Washington, Albright started an asphalt business with his brother-in-law, Amzi L. Barber (who had married his wife's sister, Julia Louise Langdon). Together, Barber and Albright participated in the paving of Washington, DC, Scranton, and Buffalo. While Albright turned to other ventures, Barber continued with the asphalt business and secured
7296-453: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.8 km ), of which 2.2 square miles (5.6 km ) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km ), or 2.09%, is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Buchanan has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of
7448-421: The Vanderbilts had fueled the construction of giant underground conduits leading to turbines generating upwards of 75 megawatts (100,000 hp ), sent as far as Buffalo, 32 km (20 mi) away. Some of the original designs for the power transmission plants were created by the Swiss firm Faesch & Piccard, which also constructed the original 3.7 MW (5,000 hp) waterwheels. Private companies on
7600-421: The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company ); Robert C. Board, secretary (also secretary and treasurer of Ontario Power Company); and Clifford Hubbell, treasurer . Westinghouse replaced Cassius Milton Wicker as a director of the company and the offices of the company moved to the Fidelity Trust Building in Buffalo. Stephen M. Clement , (president of Marine Bank ), succeeded Joseph G. Robin on
7752-483: The census of 2020, there were 1,196 people living in the town. The population density was 540 people per square mile (210/km ). There were 596 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 91.9% White, 3.1% Black, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.8% Other, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,233 people, 540 households, and 359 families living in
SECTION 50
#17327917047497904-547: The 1870s, sightseers had limited access to Niagara Falls and often had to pay for a glimpse, and industrialization threatened to carve up Goat Island to further expand commercial development. Other industrial encroachments and lack of public access led to a conservation movement in the U.S. known as Free Niagara, led by such notables as Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church , landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted , and architect Henry Hobson Richardson . Church approached Lord Dufferin , governor-general of Canada, with
8056-407: The 20th century. J. Horace McFarland, the Sierra Club , and the Appalachian Mountain Club persuaded the United States Congress in 1906 to enact legislation to preserve the falls by regulating the waters of the Niagara River. The act sought, in cooperation with the Canadian government, to restrict diversion of water, and a treaty resulted in 1909 that limited the total amount of water diverted from
8208-409: The American and Bridal Veil Falls to the east. Engineering has slowed erosion and recession. The current rate of erosion is approximately 30 centimeters (0.98 feet) per year, down from a historical average of 0.9 m (3.0 ft) per year. At this rate, in about 50,000 years Niagara Falls will have eroded the remaining 32 km (20 mi) to Lake Erie, and the falls will cease to exist. In
8360-496: The Botetourt County Department of Fire and EMS. Emergency medical services are also provided by the Botetourt County Department of Fire and EMS, which operates an ambulance out of the Buchanan fire station. Previously, the Buchanan Rescue Squad provided emergency medical services to the town and surrounding area. In 2010, Botetourt County began taking measures to aid the rescue squad which had been struggling with low volunteer participation. The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport
8512-471: The Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad, the Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company, the Pennsylvania Railroad , and the Lackawanna Steel Company jointly built a giant ship canal on the border of Buffalo and Lackawanna called the Union Ship Canal. The canal, used by all parties, allowed room for steamships to bring in iron ore from Michigan and Minnesota to be reduced to pig iron. The Union Ship Canal continued to be used as an industrial waterway until January 1982 with
8664-413: The Canadian side also began to harness the energy of the falls. The Government of Ontario eventually brought power transmission operations under public control in 1906, distributing Niagara's energy to various parts of the Canadian province. Other hydropower plants were being built along the Niagara River. But in 1956, disaster struck when the region's largest hydropower station was partially destroyed in
8816-446: The Committee on Fine Artsfor the Pan-American Exposition. Susan died on June 19, 1928. In 1887, Albright acquired the Wadsworth 's House, former mayor of Buffalo , at 730 West Ferry in Buffalo. In 1890, he hired the Olmsted Firm to design the grounds. When the house was destroyed by fire in 1901, he hired Green & Wicks to design a new Tudor style home. The Olmsted's work for Albright continued until 1907. E. B. Green designed
8968-427: The Falls was the wreck of the schooner Michigan in 1827. Local hotel owners acquired a former Lake Erie freighter, loaded it with animals and effigies of people, towed it to a spot above the falls and let it plunge over the brink. Admission of fifty cents was charged. In October 1829, Sam Patch , who called himself "the Yankee Leapster", jumped from a high tower into the gorge below the falls and survived; this began
9120-402: The Fidelity Trust Company, with $ 35 million in assets, merged with Manufacturers and Traders Bank , founded in 1856, with $ 64 million in assets, under the new name Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (M&T). The $ 100-million company was headed by Fidelity's president, 36-year-old Lewis G. Harriman. Harriman and a group of investors including A. H. Schoellkopf, from the founding family of
9272-436: The Horseshoe Falls is now entirely in Canada. Other sources say "most of" Horseshoe Falls is in Canada. The only recorded freeze-up of the river and falls was caused by an ice jam on March 29, 1848. No water (or at best a trickle) fell for as much as 40 hours. Waterwheels stopped, and mills and factories shut down for having no power. In 1912, American Falls was completely frozen, but the other two falls kept flowing. Although
SECTION 60
#17327917047499424-450: The Lake Carriers' Association and of the Buffalo Merchants' Exchange), John H. Lascelles (director of the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad), George B. Mathews (partner at Schoellkopf & Mathews flour mill), Moses Taylor , and Cornelius Vanderbilt III . Albright served as president of Marine National Bank of Buffalo and later as director of the Marine Trust Company. In 1890, Albright hired E. B. Green of Green & Wicks to design
9576-436: The Lockport Gas and Electric Light Company, the Auburn Light Heat and Power Company, the Erie Railroad Company , and the Genesee County Electric Light Power and Gas Company. The plant continued to operate until 1999, when the Ontario Power Generation (formerly Ontario Hydro ) decommissioned the Ontario Power Company Generating Station from service to accommodate the construction of Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort , built on
9728-412: The Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and in January 2002, Niagara Mohawk was acquired by, and became a subsidiary of, National Grid plc . In 1889, Lackawanna Iron and Steel Company , at the time the largest steel company in the world, decided to move its facilities out of Scranton, Pennsylvania, because of increases in union labor cost and lack of railroad access to the company's newly emerging markets in
9880-477: The Niagara Reservation, New York's first state park. New York State began to purchase land from developers, under the charter of the Niagara Reservation State Park . In the same year, the province of Ontario established the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park for the same purpose. On the Canadian side, the Niagara Parks Commission governs land usage along the entire course of the Niagara River, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. In 1887, Olmsted and Calvert Vaux issued
10032-458: The Oliver Street area of North Tonawanda. The Buffalo Bolt Company, which employed up to 1,500 people at its peak, was sold to Houdaille Industries in the Fall of 1958 as part of Houdialle's purchase of the Buffalo Eclipse Corporation. Determining that the 500,000 square foot Buffalo Bolt plant was becoming obsolete and too costly to modernize, it closed the plant at the end of June 1959. In 1903, Albright's former brother-in-law, Amzi L. Barber ,
10184-421: The Ontario Power Company buildings, Murray Street at Buchanan Avenue, including the Entrance Pavilion, Spillway Building, Office and Transformer Station, Gate House, Screen House, and Ontario Power Company Generating Stationat river level. The hydroelectric generating plant worked by allowing water to enter the generating station from an inlet located one mile upstream of Niagara Falls, near Dufferin Islands , and
10336-472: The United States). He asked that Rogers be brought into negotiations, as well as Brig. Gen. Edmund B. Hayes (a civil engineer and businessman with the Union Bridge Company ). To avoid speculation, the company employed Albright to purchase land on its behalf. In March 1899, the company's executives met with Albright, Milburn, and Rogers (Hayes was in Jekyll Island at the time, but returned April 1) in Buffalo and explored several sites, ultimately choosing
10488-415: The United States. Bridal Veil Falls is separated from Horseshoe Falls by Goat Island and from American Falls by Luna Island , with both islands situated in New York. Formed by the Niagara River , which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario before flowing out to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River , the combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America that has
10640-408: The West. They were drawn to Western New York by the area's easy access to the Great Lakes and the numerous rail lines in the area. Lackawanna Company executives reached out to Buffalo attorney John G. Milburn , who brought in Albright, who had been discussing organizing a steel plant in Buffalo with William A. Rogers (vice president of Rogers, Brown & Company , the largest pig iron dealer in
10792-400: The Western world. Today, Niagara is still the largest electricity producer in New York state, with a generating capacity of 2.4 GW. Up to 1,420 cubic metres per second (50,000 cu ft/s) of water is diverted from the Niagara River through conduits under the city of Niagara Falls to the Lewiston and Robert Moses power plants. Currently between 50% and 75% of the Niagara River's flow
10944-421: The age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.79. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.6% under
11096-460: The age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 32,500, and the median income for a family was $ 37,443. Males had a median income of $ 29,405 versus $ 20,565 for females. The per capita income for
11248-499: The barrel, she said, "No one ought ever do that again." Days before Taylor's attempt, her domestic cat was sent over the falls in her barrel to test its strength. The cat survived the plunge unharmed and later posed with Taylor in photographs. Since Taylor's historic ride, over a dozen people have intentionally gone over the falls in or on a device, despite her advice. Some have survived unharmed, but others have drowned or been severely injured. Survivors face charges and stiff fines, as it
11400-538: The basins that the glaciers had carved, thus creating the Great Lakes as we know them today. Scientists posit there is an old valley, St David's Buried Gorge , buried by glacial drift , at the approximate location of the present Welland Canal . When the ice melted, the upper Great Lakes emptied into the Niagara River, which followed the rearranged topography across the Niagara Escarpment . In time,
11552-434: The board of syndicate managers for the underwriting of the company's securities . By 1908, the company had around 400 miles of transmission lines running from Devil's Hole through Lockport and Rochester to Syracuse , a total distance of 167 miles from the distributing station. It had branch lines running to West Seneca , Batavia , Caledonia , Avon , Auburn , and Baldwinsville near Syracuse . The right-of-way for
11704-759: The board until 1910. He was also a member Jekyll Island Club from 1890 until his death. He was a member of the American Academy in Rome , the Buffalo Club, the University Club of Buffalo, the Country Club of Buffalo , and Delta Phi . In April 1926, Albright sold many valuable paintings and works of art, including a Mauve , a Jacque , two by Diaz , a Claus , a Troyon , and others by André Crochepierre, Louis Adan, and Abbott H. Thayer , and
11856-476: The ceremony, as he had always been inclined to avoid the spotlight. Birge Albright, his grandson, said that Albright took friends to the gallery on Sundays when few others were around. In 1872, Albright married Harriet Langdon (1847–1895), the sister of his business partner, Andrew Langdon . Harriet and Andrew were first cousins with Olivia Langdon Clemens (1845–1904), the wife of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910), also known as Mark Twain . Olivia, who
12008-559: The closure of the Hanna Blast Furnace . In May 1893, Albright, along with George V. Forman , John Satterfield, and Franklin D. Locke, founded the Fidelity Trust and Guaranty Company of Buffalo, New York. In 1909, E. B. Green was commissioned to build the Fidelity Trust Building, today known as Swan Tower and owned by Ellicott Development Co. , located at 284 Main Street in Buffalo. In December 1925,
12160-676: The company did not recover financially and was eventually liquidated in 1922, where it was acquired by William C. Durant of Durant Motors to compete against Rolls-Royce and Pierce-Arrow (manufactured in Buffalo). Albright, along with Edmund B. Hayes and Stephen M. Clement , had invested in William A. Rogers ’ Rogers, Brown & Company subsidiary, the Iroquois Iron Company, in South Chicago, Illinois , which owned
12312-628: The company obtained an agreement with the commissioners of the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park that allowed the company to develop at least 180,000 horsepower of electricity . The company built its hydroelectric generating plant , which opened in 1905, at the base of the Horseshoe Falls just above river level. The plant had 15 generators, which produced 203,000 horsepower of electric power . In 1904, Albright hired Buffalo architect E. B. Green to design
12464-621: The company's main factory was located at 101 East Avenue in North Tonawanda, New York , the general offices were in Buffalo, and the western offices were at 934 Monadnock Building in Chicago, Illinois , and 1107 Chemical Building in St Louis, Missouri . The officers were Albright, president; R. K. Albright (Albright's son) and Ralph Plumb, vice presidents; G. A. Mitchell, treasurer; and Robert C. Board, secretary. The board of directors
12616-597: The cottage was still standing. In 1951, a fire damaged the interior, and on June 23, 1951, the cottage was demolished as no funds were available to repair the damage. Buchanan, Virginia Buchanan ( / b ə ˈ k æ n ə n / bə- KAN -ən ) is a town in Botetourt County , Virginia , United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area . It
12768-408: The crest caused the falls to retreat approximately 10.9 kilometres (6.8 mi) southward. The shape of Horseshoe Falls has changed through the process of erosion, evolving from a small arch to a horseshoe bend to the present day V-shape. Just upstream from the falls' current location, Goat Island splits the course of the Niagara River, resulting in the separation of Horseshoe Falls to the west from
12920-549: The crest of Horseshoe falls was reduced to maintain an uninterrupted "curtain of water". In August 2005, Ontario Power Generation , which is responsible for the Sir Adam Beck stations , started a major civil engineering project, called the Niagara Tunnel Project , to increase power production by building a new 12.7-metre (42 ft) diameter, 10.2-kilometre-long (6.3 mi) water diversion tunnel. It
13072-482: The daytime when electricity use peaks. During peak electrical demand, the same Lewiston pumps are reversed and become generators. To preserve Niagara Falls' natural beauty, a 1950 treaty signed by the U.S. and Canada limited water usage by the power plants. The treaty allows higher summertime diversion at night when tourists are fewer and during the winter months when there are even fewer tourists. This treaty, designed to ensure an "unbroken curtain of water" flowing over
13224-779: The discharge of some errand, and never come back." This sometimes led to conflict. Early town father Peter Porter assisted slavecatchers in finding runaway slaves, even leading, in the case of runaway Solomon Moseby, to a riot in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. Much of this history is memorialized in the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center . After the American Civil War , the New York Central Railroad publicized Niagara Falls as
13376-625: The erosive force of the Niagara River. The Niagara River is an important bird area due to its impact on Bonaparte's gulls , ring-billed gulls , and herring gulls . Several thousand birds migrate and winter in the surrounding area. The features that became Niagara Falls were created by the Wisconsin glaciation about 10,000 years ago. The retreat of the ice sheet left behind a large amount of meltwater (see Lake Algonquin , Lake Chicago , Glacial Lake Iroquois , and Champlain Sea ) that filled up
13528-628: The estate was sold in multiple parcels for homes to be built. Green salvaged the stone balustrade from the terrace and had it reinstalled in front of Lockwood Library at the University of Buffalo 's Main Street campus soon after. A wrought-iron gate, known today as Queen Anne's Gate still stands outside of the property. In February 1914, Albright and his second wife Susan, purchased the 26-room Joseph Pulitzer Cottage, in Jekyl Island , in Georgia , fully furnished, after spending many winters on
13680-506: The falls and to create the single most important document in the Niagara preservation movement, a "Special Report on the preservation of Niagara Falls". The report advocated for state purchase, restoration and preservation through public ownership of the scenic lands surrounding Niagara Falls. Restoring the former beauty of the falls was described in the report as a "sacred obligation to mankind". In 1883, New York Governor Grover Cleveland drafted legislation authorizing acquisition of lands for
13832-505: The falls by both nations to approximately 1,600 cubic metres per second (56,000 cu ft/s). That limitation remained in effect until 1950. Erosion control efforts have always been of importance. Underwater weirs redirect the most damaging currents, and the top of the falls has been strengthened. In June 1969, a temporary rock and earth dam was constructed, completely diverting the Niagara River from American Falls for several months. During this time, two bodies were removed from under
13984-522: The falls commonly ice up most winters, the river and the falls do not freeze completely. The years 1885, 1902, 1906, 1911, 1932, 1936, 2014, 2017 and 2019 are noted for partial freezing of the falls. A so-called ice bridge was common in certain years at the base of the falls and was used by people who wanted to cross the river before bridges had been built. During some winters, the ice sheet was as thick as 12 to 30 metres (40 to 100 ft), but that thickness has not occurred since 1954. The ice bridge of 1841
14136-478: The falls is credited to Belgian missionary, Father Louis Hennepin in 1677, after traveling with the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle , thus bringing the falls to the attention of Europeans. French Jesuit missionary Paul Ragueneau likely visited the falls some 35 years before Hennepin's visit while working among the Huron First Nation in Canada. Jean de Brébeuf also may have visited
14288-483: The falls much easier. The story of Niagara Falls in the 20th century is largely that of efforts to harness the energy of the falls for hydroelectric power , and to control the development on both sides that threaten the area's natural beauty. Before the late 20th century, the northeastern end of Horseshoe Falls was in the United States, flowing around the Terrapin Rocks, which were once connected to Goat Island by
14440-483: The falls while passing through New York en route to Cumberland House as part of his second Arctic expedition, calling them "so justly celebrated as the first in the world for grandeur". In 1843, Frederick Douglass joined the American Anti-Slavery Society 's "One Hundred Conventions" tour throughout New York and the midwest. Sometime on this tour, Douglass visited Niagara Falls and wrote
14592-636: The falls) was a two-level suspension structure that opened in January 1869; it was destroyed during a severe storm in January 1889. The replacement was built quickly and opened in May 1889. In order to handle heavy traffic, a second bridge was commissioned, slightly closer to American Falls. This one was a steel bridge and opened to traffic in June 1897; it was known as the Upper Steel Arch Bridge but
14744-562: The falls, affords the closest view of the falls and is open to non-commercial vehicle traffic and pedestrians. The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge lies 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) north of the Rainbow Bridge and is the oldest bridge over the Niagara River. Nearby Niagara Falls International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport were named after the waterfall, as were Niagara University , countless local businesses, and even an asteroid . The first recorded publicity stunt using
14896-405: The falls, including a man who had been seen jumping over the falls, and the body of a woman, which was discovered once the falls dried. While Horseshoe Falls absorbed the extra flow, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers studied the riverbed and mechanically bolted and strengthened any faults they found; faults that would, if left untreated, have hastened the retreat of American Falls. A plan to remove
15048-424: The falls, states that during daylight time during the tourist season (April 1 to October 31) there must be 2,800 cubic metres per second (100,000 cu ft/s) of water flowing over the falls, and during the night and off-tourist season there must be 1,400 cubic metres per second (50,000 cu ft/s) of water flowing over the falls. This treaty is monitored by the International Niagara Board of Control, using
15200-601: The falls, while spending time with the Neutral Nation . The Finland-Swedish naturalist Pehr Kalm explored the area in the early 18th century and is credited with the first scientific description of the falls. In 1762, Captain Thomas Davies , a British Army officer and artist, surveyed the area and painted the watercolor, An East View of the Great Cataract of Niagara , the first eyewitness painting of
15352-419: The falls. During the 19th century, tourism became popular, and by the mid-century, it was the area's main industry. Theodosia Burr Alston (daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr ) and her husband Joseph Alston were the first recorded couple to honeymoon there in 1801. Napoleon Bonaparte 's brother Jérôme visited with his bride in the early 19th century. In 1825, British explorer John Franklin visited
15504-599: The former transformer building location. As of 2015, the 1905 remaining generating station is owned by the Niagara Parks Commission , and sits abandoned. In 1905, a syndicate headed by Albright and Henry Herman Westinghouse (brother of George Westinghouse ) acquired control Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company from Joseph G. Robin and his associates. The purchasing syndicate included Albright, Westinghouse, New York Central , Vanderbilt interests , and Horace E. Andrews, of Cleveland (president of
15656-691: The gorge. It opened for use by the public in July 1848 and remained in use until 1855. A second bridge in the Upper Falls area was commissioned, with two levels or decks, one for use by the Great Western Railway . This Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge opened in 1855. It was used by conductors on the Underground Railroad to escort runaway slaves to Canada. In 1882, the Grand Trunk Railway took over control of
15808-457: The gray stone house was surrounded "by terraces where the crocus and scilla pushed up between the flagstones in the spring, and the pink magnolia blossoms lay thick over the grass from the sidewalk. The Albrights' property ran from 690 to 770 West Ferry and extended from West Ferry to Cleveland Avenue on at least 12 acres of land. In 1935, the Albright house on West Ferry was demolished and
15960-517: The huge mound of talus deposited in 1954 was abandoned owing to cost, and in November 1969, the temporary dam was dynamited , restoring flow to American Falls. Even after these undertakings, Luna Island , the small piece of land between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, remained off limits to the public for years owing to fears that it was unstable and could collapse into the gorge. Commercial interests have continued to encroach on
16112-526: The island with their family. While there, the Albrights struck up a friendship with the poet laureate of England, Alfred Noyes , and his wife, who visited them in Jeykl Island in 1914. Albright introduced Noyes to William Rockefeller and other Jekyl Islanders who were at the club. The house was sold in 1931 after Albright's death, and when the state of Georgia acquired the entire Jekyl Island in 1947,
16264-516: The land surrounding the state park, including the construction of several tall buildings (most of them hotels) on the Canadian side. The result is a significant alteration and urbanisation of the landscape. One study found that the tall buildings changed the breeze patterns and increased the number of mist days from 29 per year to 68 per year, but another study disputed this idea. In 2013, New York State began an effort to renovate Three Sisters Islands located south of Goat Island. Funds were used from
16416-684: The lines was owned by the company and was 300 ft in width from the Niagara River to Lockport, 200 ft from Lockport to Rochester, and 75 ft the remainder of the way to Syracuse. The company also leased a right-of-way on the West Shore Railroad from near Akron to Syracuse. In January 1918, Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company acquired the Salmon River Power Company, which operated its own hydroelectric power plan in Salmon River (New York) on
16568-475: The name refers to "the neck", pronounced "onyara"; the portage or neck of land between lakes Erie and Ontario onyara . Many figures have been suggested as first circulating a European eyewitness description of Niagara Falls. The Frenchman Samuel de Champlain visited the area as early as 1604 during his exploration of what is now Canada, and members of his party reported to him the spectacular waterfalls, which he described in his journals. The first description of
16720-538: The new Albright mansion after the manor house of St. Catherine's Court in Bath England . A former neighbor of the Albrights recalled, "It was a huge house. It was not unlike the Rand House on Delaware". When the property was first built, the streets Tudor Place and St. Catherine's Court did not exist. The property had a red brick wall that surrounded the estate. Local writer Edwine Noye Mitchell wrote that
16872-480: The newly formed Great Lakes carved a path over and through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. Horseshoe Falls is about 57 m (187 ft) high, while the height of the American Falls varies between 21 and 30 m (69 and 98 ft) because of the presence of giant boulders at its base. The larger Horseshoe Falls is about 790 m (2,590 ft) wide, while the American Falls
17024-477: The party. Goodyear was so impressed with the capacity of the plant to produce tonnage that he wanted one established on the line of the Goodyear brother’s Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad . Rogers and the Goodyear brothers joined forces to create a company and plant in Buffalo that was called the Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron Company, named after the Goodyear brother’s Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad. Soon after,
17176-698: The preferred transmission method, and after going through many proposals, they awarded the generating contract to Westinghouse Electric in 1893, with further transmission lines and transformer contracts awarded to General Electric . Work began in 1893 and in November 1896, power generated from Niagara Falls at the Edward Dean Adams Power Plant was being sent to Buffaloand the plants of the Pittsburgh Reduction Company , which needed large quantities of cheap electricity for smelting aluminum. A similar set of events
17328-449: The production of automobiles, ships, trains, household appliances, and hundreds of other products. Under Albright, production increased many times over. In 1869, Buffalo Bolt produced 14,000 nuts and bolts per day, and by 1911, the company was producing 1,250,000 per day. By 1920, Buffalo Bolt was producing 600,000,000 pieces of bolts, nuts, and screws, as well as 5,000 varieties of finished products and 50,000 tons of steel roll. In 1921,
17480-575: The railroad's coal going westward from Buffalo. Albright devised a plan to fill up the empty trains with grain on the haul back to the East. Purportedly, within a year, he had earned $ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 2,289,000 in 2023). By 1888, Albright had done so well that he decided to retire and took his family on a 14-month tour of Europe and Egypt when he was only 40 years old. Albright, however, tired of retirement and started working again upon his return. By 1889, Albright's business partner, Smith, had become
17632-683: The re-licensing of the New York Power Authority hydroelectric plant downriver in Lewiston, New York, to rebuild walking paths on the Three Sisters Islands and to plant native vegetation on the islands. The state also renovated the area around Prospect Point at the brink of American Falls in the state park. Theories differ as to the origin of the name of the falls. The Native American word Ongiara means thundering water ; The New York Times used this in 1925. According to Iroquoian scholar Bruce Trigger , Niagara
17784-518: The residents of the area voted to split off from West Seneca and form the present-day city of Lackawanna, New York , named after the company. The Lackawanna Steel Company received its power from Albright's Niagara Lockport and Ontario Power Company and he served as a director of the Lackawanna Steel Company, which remained independent until 1922, when it was acquired by Bethlehem Steel . In 1892, New York Central Railroad chose
17936-481: The river cut a gorge through the north-facing cliff, or cuesta . Because of the interactions of three major rock formations, the rocky bed did not erode evenly. The caprock formation is composed of hard, erosion-resistant limestone and dolomite of the Lockport Formation (Middle Silurian ). That hard layer of stone eroded more slowly than the underlying materials. Immediately below the caprock lies
18088-490: The river in the lower valley, hidden from view, is the Queenston Formation (Upper Ordovician ), which is composed of shales and fine sandstones . All three formations were laid down in an ancient sea, their differences of character deriving from changing conditions within that sea. About 10,900 years ago, the Niagara Falls was between present-day Queenston, Ontario , and Lewiston, New York , but erosion of
18240-642: The river only 6 m (20 ft) from the lip of the Horseshoe Falls at Goat Island. Minutes later, Woodward was plucked from the roiling plunge pool beneath Horseshoe Falls after grabbing a life ring thrown to him by the crew of the Maid of the Mist boat. The children's uncle, Jim Honeycutt, who had been steering the boat, was swept over the edge to his death. On July 2, 1984, Canadian Karel Soucek from Hamilton, Ontario , plunged over Horseshoe Falls in
18392-497: The rocks above the falls. The two men on the scow were rescued, but the vessel remained trapped on rocks in the river, and is still visible there in a deteriorated state, although its position shifted by 50 meters (160 ft) during a storm on October 31, 2019. Daredevil William "Red" Hill Sr. was particularly praised for his role in the rescue. After the First World War , tourism boomed as automobiles made getting to
18544-560: The second deck after it absorbed the Great Western company. Significant structural improvements were made in the late 1870s and then in 1886; this bridge remained in use until 1897. Because of the volume of traffic, the decision was made to construct a new arch bridge nearby, under and around the existing bridge. After it opened in September 1897, a decision was made to remove and scrap the railway suspension bridge. This new bridge
18696-560: The shore of Lake Ontario . Later in 1943, the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company reorganized as the Niagara Hudson Company, Inc., and became a subsidiary of Niagara Hudson Power Corporation, which was a conglomerate of 59 separate power companies in Western New York formed in 1929, and in 1932, was the "nation's largest electric utility company". In 1950, Niagara Hudson Power Corporation reorganized as
18848-705: The small figure standing silhouetted with a top hat was added by an engraver working from imagination as well as the daguerreotype as his source, but the figure is clearly present in the photograph. Because of the very long exposure required, of ten minutes or more, the figure is assumed by Canada's Niagara Parks agency to be Pattinson. The image is left-right inverted and taken from the Canadian side . Pattinson made other photographs of Horseshoe Falls; these were then transferred to engravings to illustrate Noël Marie Paymal Lerebours ' Excursions Daguerriennes (Paris, 1841–1864). On August 6, 1918, an iron scow became stuck on
19000-455: The smaller-scale Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant near Ophir, Colorado , two years earlier) was hired to design a system to generate alternating current on Niagara Falls, and three years after that a large-scale AC power system was created (activated on August 26, 1895). The Adams Power Plant Transformer House remains as a landmark of the original system. By 1896, financing from moguls including J. P. Morgan , John Jacob Astor IV , and
19152-480: The summer months, at least 2,800 m /s (99,000 cu ft/s) of water traverse the falls, some 90% of which goes over Horseshoe Falls, while the balance is diverted to hydroelectric facilities and then on to American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. This is accomplished by employing a weir – the International Control Dam – with movable gates upstream from Horseshoe Falls. The water flow
19304-422: The tank, and he died the next day from his injuries. In August 1985, Steve Trotter , an aspiring stuntman from Rhode Island , became the youngest person ever (age 22) and the first American in 25 years to go over the falls in a barrel. Ten years later, Trotter went over the falls again, becoming the second person to go over the falls twice and survive. It was also the second "duo"; Lori Martin joined Trotter for
19456-690: The three Albright children. In March 1897, within two years of her arrival in Buffalo, 28-year-old Susan (daughter of Eben and Nancy Fuller) married 49-year-old Albright. Fuller was a recent Smith College graduate from Lancaster, Massachusetts . The couple honeymooned at the Jekyl Island Club . Together, John and Susan had five children: John "Jack" Joseph Albright Jr., Elizabeth "Betty" Albright, Fuller Albright , Nancy Albright, and Susan "Susy" Albright. In 1915, Albright and two of his daughters were painted by Edmund Charles Tarbell . The oil painting, entitled John J. Albright and His Daughters ,
19608-425: The time, many property owners assumed the land purchases were for the exposition, which helped them obtain the land at a more reasonable price. In 1900, construction on the massive steel mill started, and in 1902, the company, of which Albright was then a principal shareholder, was reorganized as the Lackawanna Steel Company. The company moved its headquarters to the site and the plant began operation in 1903, By 1909,
19760-481: The town was $ 16,238. About 6.9% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. Buchanan operates a council–manager form of government. Buchanan Town Council is composed of a mayor and four council members who are elected at-large. The United States Postal Service operates the Buchanan Post Office within
19912-510: The town. The town is served by Botetourt County Public Schools . Public school students residing in Buchanan are zoned to attend Buchanan Elementary School, Central Academy Middle School, and James River High School . The closest higher education institutions are located in Hollins , Lexington , and Roanoke . The Town operates its own water and sanitary sewer systems. Law enforcement
20064-436: The town. The population density was 510.1 people per square mile (196.7/km ). There were 579 housing units at an average density of 239.5 per square mile (92.4/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 90.84% White, 7.95% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.32% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population. There were 540 households, out of which 25.4% had children under
20216-506: The tracks for the enterprise. The original shareholders included Albright, George Urban, Wilson S. Bissell , and Charles Gould. The officers of the company were Albright as president and James A. Roberts as secretary. The area was eventually called "Depew" in honor of Chauncey Depew. Albright worked closely with Frederick Law Olmsted to structure the nucleus of the town. In 1896, the Depew Improvement Company built
20368-427: The undeveloped shoreline on Lake Erie in what was then the western part of the town of West Seneca, New York. Albright began purchasing land on April 1, 1899, and by the end of the month had obtained nearly all the required property for a price of $ 1,095,430.98 (equivalent to $ 40,119,000 in 2023). Albright was often accompanied on his purchasing visits by Milburn, the president of the Pan-American Exposition , and at
20520-411: The weaker, softer, sloping Rochester Formation (Lower Silurian). This formation is composed mainly of shale , though it has some thin limestone layers. It also contains ancient fossils . In time, the river eroded the soft layer that supported the hard layers, undercutting the hard caprock, which gave way in great chunks. This process repeated countless times, eventually carving out the falls. Submerged in
20672-459: The west. Albright moved his family to Buffalo to oversee the operations. While there, he entered into partnership with Thomas Guilford Smith , another Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduate and Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company executive. Their firm, Albright & Smith, handled all of Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company's coal sales in Canada and Western New York , as well as all
20824-426: Was chartered, which eventually constructed the canals that would be used to generate electricity. In 1881, under the leadership of Jacob F. Schoellkopf , the Niagara River's first hydroelectric generating station was built. The water fell 26 metres (86 ft) and generated direct current electricity, which ran the machinery of local mills and lit up some of the village streets. The Niagara Falls Power Company,
20976-517: Was composed of Albright, R. K. Albright, Edmund B. Hayes, Ralph Plumb, G. A. Mitchell, W. P. Cooke, and Anson Conger Goodyear . The need for workers was so great that company paid the costs associated with passage to America to bring Polish and Slovakian immigrants to the United States to work in its plant in North Tonawanda. The company built a company store and assisted employees with obtaining housing, with many employees settling in
21128-722: Was happening on the Canadian side of the falls. In June 1887, recognizing an opportunity, the Ontario Power Company of Niagara Falls was incorporated in Canada "to supply manufacturers, corporations, and persons with water, hydraulic, electric, or other power." While its operations were in Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario , its executive office was in Buffalo with these officers: Albright, president; Francis V. Greene , vice president; and Robert C. Board, secretary and treasurer. In 1903,
21280-618: Was improved and incorporated into the Saint Lawrence Seaway in the mid-1950s. While the seaway diverted water traffic from nearby Buffalo and led to the demise of its steel and grain mills, other industries in the Niagara River valley flourished with the help of the electric power produced by the river. However, since the 1970s the region has declined economically. The cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and Niagara Falls, New York, United States, are connected by two international bridges. The Rainbow Bridge, just downriver from
21432-496: Was in debt to the extent of $ 500,000 (equivalent to $ 16,956,000 in 2023). He had started the Locomobile automobile company in 1899, and to keep the company afloat, he surrendered two real-estate deals to Albright, who agreed to endorse $ 300,000 worth of Locomobile commercial paper and give Barber an annuity of $ 12,000 (equivalent to $ 4,069,000 in 2023). He also paid the remaining $ 100,000 Barber still owed. Unfortunately,
21584-512: Was in high demand in the Western United States , and Albright got involved in its sale. By 1871, Albright was working out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania , selling coal wholesale, along with his business partner, Andrew Langdon (1835–1919). Their firm was called Langdon, Albright and Company. By 1873, Albright had married Langdon's sister, Harriet, and they all moved to Washington, DC , where Albright and Langdon started to work for
21736-621: Was increasing, the Michigan Central Railroad company decided to build a new bridge in 1923, to be located between the Lower Steel Arch Bridge and the Cantilever Bridge. The Michigan Central Railway Bridge opened in February 1925 and remained in use until the early 21st century. The Cantilever Bridge was removed and scrapped after the new rail bridge opened. Nonetheless, it was inducted into
21888-500: Was initially known as the Niagara Railway Arch, or Lower Steel Arch Bridge; it had two decks, the lower one used for carriages and the upper for trains. In 1937, it was renamed the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge and remains in use today. All of the structures built up to that time were referred to as Lower Niagara bridges and were some distance from the falls. The first bridge in the so-called Upper Niagara area (closer to
22040-524: Was named for Virginia colonist John Buchanan (died 1769), a soldier and landowner who built Fort Fauquier on the James River, just south of the town. The Buchanan Historic District , Buchanan Theatre , Greyledge , Lauderdale , Looney Mill Creek Site , and Wilson Warehouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Buchanan is located at 37°31′31″N 79°41′0″W / 37.52528°N 79.68333°W / 37.52528; -79.68333 (37.525177, -79.683405). According to
22192-515: Was officially placed into service in March 2013, helping to increase the generating complex's nameplate capacity by 150 megawatts. It did so by tapping water from farther up the Niagara River than was possible with the preexisting arrangement. The tunnel provided new hydroelectricity for approximately 160,000 homes. Ships can bypass Niagara Falls by means of the Welland Canal , which
22344-492: Was often called the Honeymoon Bridge . The single level included a track for trolleys and space for carriages and pedestrians. The design led to the bridge being very close to the surface of the river and in January 1938, an ice jam twisted the steel frame of the bridge which later collapsed on January 27, 1938. Another Lower Niagara bridge had been commissioned in 1883 by Cornelius Vanderbilt for use by railways at
22496-621: Was originally from a wealthy family in Elmira, New York , and Twain lived in Buffalo from 1869 to 1871 where Twain owned a stake in the Buffalo Express newspaper and worked as an editor and writer. Together, John and Harriet had three children, all born in Washington DC: Raymond King Albright, Ruth Albright, and Langdon Albright. In 1895, Susan Fuller (1868–1928) was brought to Buffalo to educate
22648-486: Was said to be at least 30 metres (100 ft) thick. On February 4, 1912, the ice bridge which had formed on January 15 began breaking up while people were still on it. Many escaped, but three died during the event, later named the Ice Bridge Tragedy. A number of bridges have spanned the Niagara River in the general vicinity of the falls. The first, not far from the whirlpool , was a suspension bridge above
22800-529: Was the western terminus of the James River and Kanawha Canal when construction on the canal ended. Buchanan was incorporated in 1832. The town of Pattonsburg was founded on the opposite side of the James River (named for Colonel James Patton ), and was connected to Buchanan via a bridge. An 1855 gazetteer described Buchanan and Pattonsburg together containing "3 or 4 churches, 1 bank, 1 printing office, and several tobacco factories and mills." Buchanan
22952-402: Was then brought to the plant through buried conduit pipes and steel penstocks tunneled through the rock. The conduits, two steel and one wooden (bound with iron hoops and encased in concrete), ran underground 6,180 ft (1,884 m) to the top of the generating station. There, each conduit connected with six penstocks, six feet in diameter. At the point where the conduits and the penstocks join,
23104-422: Was then sold in bulk to Niagara Lockport and Ontario Power Company, a New York company, which was then distributed to individual customers. The largest individual consumers of power from these lines included several entities with direct ties to Albright: The Lackawanna Steel Company , Empire State Railway , New York Central Railroad , the Shenandoah Steel Wire Company, the Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway Company ,
#748251