Dufferin Islands are a group of scenic man-made islands located in

Niagara Falls, Ontario Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is on the western bank of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario, with a population of 88,071 at the Canada 2016 Census, 2016 census. It is part of the List of census ...

, approximately 1/2 mile south of the

Horseshoe Falls Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three waterfalls that collectively form Niagara Falls on the Niagara River along the Canada–United States border. Approximately 90% of the Niagara River, after diversions for hydropower generation, flows ...

. The islands are known for their quiet seclusion and nature trails.

History

Early history

While

Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and named after the fame ...

became more well known for industry development along the lower river's edge in the 1870s, the industrial revolution started much earlier on the Canadian side. In 1794, permission was granted to erect a saw and grist mill at the eastern end of the islands. This was followed by an iron ore mill constructed in 1796. Ownership of the properties was transferred to area pioneers Samuel Street and Thomas Clark by 1801, with the islands named ''Clark Hill Islands'' in 1805. The mills were burned by American forces on July 26, 1814, following the

Battle of Lundy's Lane The Battle of Lundy's Lane, also known as the Battle of Niagara, was a battle fought on 25 July 1814, during the War of 1812, between an invading American army and a British and Canadian army near present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario. It was one o ...

during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

. Thomas Clark "T.C." Street took ownership of Clark Hill Islands in 1854, renaming them ''Cynthia Islands''. They became accessible to the public in 1877, when Sutherland Macklem, Street's heir, built a pair of suspension bridges to carry foot & carriage traffic across. Pedestrian traffic had already been flocking to the surrounding grounds since the mid-1820s to visit ''The Burning Spring'', billed as Niagara Falls' "first tourist attraction". It continued in operation for nearly sixty years, until the

Niagara Parks Commission The Niagara Parks Commission, commonly shortened to Niagara Parks, is an agency of the Government of Ontario which maintains the Ontario shoreline of the Niagara River. History The Commission was founded in 1885 and charged with preserving and ...

took over the property and Cynthia Islands as well, in 1887.

Early 1900s: The Islands evolve

When the Parks Commission took over, they renamed the islands in honor of Canadian Governor-General

Lord Dufferin Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (21 June 182612 February 1902) was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society. In his youth he was a popular figure in the court of Queen Vict ...

, who had been instrumental in establishing parkland along the river to replace "The Front", a notoriously rowdy tourist area. The islands remained untouched until 1902, when the ''Ontario Power Company'' began construction on their lower river power facility, which required river water to be drawn from a point just east of the islands. The water diversion reduced the flow through the islands to an extent that the power company, through an earlier agreement with the Parks Commission, created a series of man-made islands and cascades to compensate. Initial work was completed by 1905, but the Parks Commission rejected the resulting layout, saying the arrangement was too formal and "out of place with the surroundings." Beginning in 1918, surplus dirt & stone were placed strategically around the islands, giving them a more natural look.

Public Usage

Except for the years of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

when the islands were barricaded, the public has enjoyed free access. For many years, bathing and swimming areas were located here, first established in 1907 and moving to a site further west by 1962. This area remained in use until the early 2000s, when it was removed due to safety concerns brought on by swimmers diving from surrounding bridges into the shallow water, as well as maintenance issues. The north end of the islands also featured a statue depicting Thurman the dog, and paddleboats, a service began in 1973 by the Niagara Parks Commission. The paddleboats were removed in the early 1990s, presumably out of safety as well.

Gallery

File:Dufferin island1.jpg File:Dufferin walking trail winter.jpg File:Nf from dufferin island.jpg File:Marineland entrance from dufferin island.jpg

References

{{reflist

External links

Images of Dufferin Islands
Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.) Landforms of the Regional Municipality of Niagara Islands of the Niagara River Tourist attractions in Niagara Falls, Ontario Protected areas of the Regional Municipality of Niagara River islands of Ontario Niagara Parks Commission