Niagara Freezes Over
It was March 29, 1849, during a particularly severe winter that Niagara Falls ran dry. A layer of ice had formed on Lake Erie and a warm spring rain loosened the ice. A wind from the east forced the ice into the lake. At sunset, the wind changed course and took the ice to the mouth of the Niagara River where it formed into an enormous mass. The ice was packed so tightly that the outlet to the lake became blocked. In fact, the blockage was so bad that little to no water could escape.
By the next morning, the rapids above the Falls had almost come to a complete standstill. Instead of raging waterfalls, icy black rocks were visible at the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. People were struck by the ominous silence where there had once been the roar of water. Word travelled fast and people lined up to see the unusual sight. More than 5,000 onlookers gazed in amazement. Some people were brave enough to venture out onto the riverbed to look for souvenirs. Items from the War of 1812 such as guns, bayonets and tomahawks were picked up. Workers from the Maid of the Mist went out to do some maintenance work. They dynamited rocks that were troublesome to their boats. There was a Doomsday crowd that believed it was a sign from God and special church services were held.
Niagara freezes over
During the night, the wind shifted which made the ice dam break. The river flow returned to normal and the temperature rose to 16 degrees celsius on the 31st of March, 1849.