FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-54 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (March 22, 2023 – 11:30 PM EDT) – In tonight’s late, late edition of Fun with Maps from Steve Kovacs, we connect ice to a most famous honeymoon site.

An Ice Age Present

The last Glacial Period, also known as Ice Age, ended about 12,000 years ago (it started 103,000 years prior).  The retreating movement of the ice mass carved the land and created the Great Lakes, and Niagara Falls. 

Niagara Falls itself continually erodes, and it is estimated that the falls were about 7 miles downstream originally.  The water flow is controlled by engineers for the past number of decades to limit further erosion.

Water flow? Well, up to 5 billion gallons of water flows over the American and Horseshoe Falls per hour. 

There were several occasions when only a trickle was seen.  Mostly because of ice blockage.  But one time, on March 22, 1903, the Falls were nearly dry due to a water shortage – because of a drought.

So, if you are one of the 12 million folks who visit the Falls each year, hope for no drought or ice blockage exposing the underlying rocks of the Falls.  

Niagara Falls is partly in New York State and partly in Ontario, Canada.  This 1854 Mitchell map of New York State has an inset showing Niagara Falls area in the upper left.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.