Honor Niagara Falls Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 615 BY: Senator ORTT COMMEMORATING the 125th Anniversary of the City of Niagara Falls to be celebrated on March 17, 2017 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and commemorate the proud and distinguished histories of the towns and villages which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the City of Niagara Falls to be celebrated on Friday, March 17, 2017; and WHEREAS, The City of Niagara Falls was incorporated on March 17,

1892, from the villages of Manchester and Suspension Bridge, which were parts of the Town of Niagara; and WHEREAS, Thomas Vincent Welch, a member of the charter committee and a New York state assemblyman, persuaded Governor Roswell P. Flower to sign the bill on St. Patrick's Day; George W. Wright was elected the first mayor of Niagara Falls; and WHEREAS, Built along the Niagara Falls and the Niagara Gorge, the City of Niagara Falls is located at the international boundary between the United States of America and Canada; and WHEREAS, By the end of the 19th century, the city was a heavy industrial area, due in part to the power potential offered by the Niagara River; tourism was considered a secondary niche, while manufacturing of petrochemicals, abrasives, metallurgical products and other materials was the main producer of jobs and attracted a large number of workers, many of whom were immigrants; and WHEREAS, Industry and tourism grew steadily throughout the first half of the 20th century due to a high demand for industrial products and the increased mobility of people to travel; paper, rubber, plastics, petrochemicals, carbon insulators and abrasives were among the city's major industries; and WHEREAS, In 1956, the Schoellkopf Power Plant on the lower river just downstream of the American Falls was critically damaged due to a massive collapse of the Niagara Gorge wall above it; this prompted the planning and construction of one of the largest hydroelectric plants to be built in North America at that time, causing a large influx of workers and families to move to the area; and WHEREAS, Today, under the able leadership of Mayor Paul A. Dyster, Niagara Falls' main industry is tourism; the city and falls are visited by nearly ten million people each year, with the waterfall considered one of the United States' top ten tourist destinations; and WHEREAS, The City is home to the Niagara Falls State Park which has several attractions, including Cave of the Winds behind the Bridal Veil Falls, Maid of the Mist, a popular boat tour which operates at the foot of the Rainbow Bridge, Prospect Point and its observation tower, Niagara Discovery Center, and the Aquarium of Niagara; and WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, the City of Niagara Falls continues to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and WHEREAS, The residents of the City of Niagara Falls have a bright outlook for the future of their community, which remains a beautiful place in which to live and raise a family; and WHEREAS, In recognition of the City of Niagara Falls' rich history and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is proud to pay tribute to this spirited town upon the occasion of its 125th Anniversary; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the City of Niagara Falls to be celebrated on March 17, 2017; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed be transmitted to Paul A. Dyster.