Franklin Dean
Nestled along Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls has been a popular honeymoon destination for over 200 years. The natural wonder, comprising three falls, has attracted millions of couples, including the wealthy and famous, who have spent their first days of married life there. But how did Niagara Falls become known as the Honeymoon Capital of the World?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Established as a honeymoon destination | Early 1800s |
| First notable honeymooners | Theodosia Burr and her husband, Joseph Alston |
| Year of Theodosia Burr's honeymoon | 1801 |
| Other notable honeymooners | Jerome Bonaparte and his bride, Elizabeth Patterson |
| Year of Jerome Bonaparte's honeymoon | 1804 |
| Became accessible to the middle class | 1825, with the opening of the Erie Canal |
| Became accessible by rail | Late 1800s |
| Peak popularity | 1950s and 1960s |
| Other reasons for its reputation | Natural wonder, romantic allure, scenery, dining options, wineries, and adventure activities |
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What You'll Learn
The influence of Theodosia Burr and Jerome Bonaparte
In 1801, Theodosia Burr Alston, the daughter of U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, travelled to Niagara Falls with her new husband, Joseph Alston, a wealthy landowner and future governor of South Carolina. They became the first recorded couple to honeymoon at the falls, embarking on a bridal tour with several servants and nine pack horses.
Theodosia's high-profile trip helped to put Niagara Falls on the map as a honeymoon destination. A few years after her trip, she encouraged Jérôme Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon, and his new wife, Elizabeth Patterson, to also honeymoon at the falls. The Bonaparte couple travelled from New Orleans to Niagara Falls via stagecoach, and their trip further solidified the falls' reputation as a romantic destination.
In the early 19th century, only the wealthy could afford to travel to the falls, but this changed with the opening of new rail lines and the Erie Canal in the mid-19th century. Soon, middle-class couples were also flocking to Niagara Falls, and by 1839, a newspaper reporter wrote about the "cooing couples" from both Canada and the US visiting the falls. By 1841, the trend was so popular that it inspired the song of the year, "My Niagara Falls Honeymoon".
Theodosia Burr Alston's mysterious fate added to her legacy as well. In 1812, while travelling by schooner to New York to see her father, her ship was lost at sea, and newspapers printed lurid stories of her alleged fate, including captivity by pirates and murder.
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The opening of the Erie Canal
The Erie Canal, America's most famous man-made waterway, was first conceived in the 1780s by George Washington. The canal was constructed between 1817 and 1825, eventually spanning 524 miles from Albany to Buffalo, New York. It cost $140 billion in today's money—all of which was paid for by New York State, whose governor at the time, DeWitt Clinton, was a relentless advocate for the project.
The Erie Canal transported settlers and finished goods west to the Great Lakes and beyond, and farm products and raw materials east. It helped create New York City, giving it a significant advantage over other mercantile cities like Boston and Philadelphia. The canal was an engineering marvel, with its large system of canals and massive wooden gates, which allowed boat traffic to climb the Niagara Escarpment.
When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River, Niagara Falls became accessible to middle-class couples. Before the canal, Niagara Falls was considered a destination for the wealthy. With the opening of the canal and the arrival of railways, more couples could now travel to the majestic waterfalls, and Niagara Falls became a popular honeymoon destination.
Today, the Erie Canal is primarily used for recreational watercraft, making it a great spot for kayaking, learning about history, and exploring the ingenious lock system in the city of Lockport, just 30 minutes from Niagara Falls.
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Railroads make Niagara Falls more accessible
The opening of the Erie Canal in the 1820s made it possible for tourists to travel on the "northern tour" to reach Niagara Falls. However, it was the development of railroads in New York and Southern Canada a few decades later that made the region truly accessible to visitors.
Before the railroads, it would have taken a week to travel to Niagara Falls by horseback. The new rail lines brought a steady stream of honeymooners to the falls, and by 1841, the destination was so popular that a song was released called "My Niagara Falls Honeymoon".
The Underground Railroad also played a role in the history of the region. In the early 19th century, Niagara Falls was a natural crossing point for enslaved Africans seeking freedom. Some remained in the area, working in local hotels, while others crossed over into Canada.
Niagara Falls was originally considered a destination for the wealthy. However, the opening of the Erie Canal and the development of railroads made it accessible to middle-class travellers as well. Today, it remains a popular destination for couples from all over the world.
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Niagara Falls in popular culture
Niagara Falls has been featured in several films, including the 1980 film *Superman II*, and was the subject of the popular IMAX movie, *Niagara: Miracles, Myths and Magic*. The falls were also featured in the 2006 film *Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End*, and the 2015 film *Chasing Niagara*, which documented professional kayaker Rafa Ortiz's preparation to paddle over the falls. Illusionist David Copperfield performed a trick in 1990, in which he appeared to travel over Horseshoe Falls. Kevin McMahon's 1991 documentary film, *The Falls*, explored the place of Niagara Falls in the world's collective imagination.
The falls were also the setting for the short-lived US television show *Wonderfalls* in 2004. In 1859, Charles Blondin walked a tightrope over a section of Niagara Falls, wearing pink tights. He traversed the falls several more times, including once blindfolded. In 2012, Nik Wallenda became the first person to tightrope walk over the falls in front of a live audience of tens of thousands of people, with his journey broadcast on live TV.
The falls were a popular tourist attraction for Southern slaveowners, who would bring their enslaved workers on the trip. In 1843, Frederick Douglass visited Niagara Falls and wrote a brief account of the experience, saying:
> "When I came into its awful presence the power of description failed me, an irresistible power closed my lips."
Being on the Canadian border, Niagara Falls was on one of the routes of the Underground Railroad.
The falls have also inspired several engineering feats. In 1895, the world's first large-scale hydroelectric generating station opened in Niagara Falls. The plant used a direct current (DC) system, which could only transmit electricity 100 yards. In 1896, Nikola Tesla proved that he could transmit electricity from the falls to Buffalo using his new alternating current (AC) induction motor. This marked the first long-distance commercial use of the AC system that is still used around the world today.
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The natural wonder of the falls
Niagara Falls has long been considered one of the most romantic places in the world. Its reputation as a honeymoon destination began in the early 1800s when it was established as the ideal spot by the French. Theodosia Burr, daughter of U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, and her new husband, Joseph Alston, future governor of South Carolina, travelled from Albany to the Falls as part of their bridal tour in 1801. A few years later, in 1804, Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, and his bride, Elizabeth Patterson, travelled from New Orleans to Niagara Falls via stagecoach. The couple's high social status meant that others soon followed, and a new social custom was born.
At first, only the wealthy could afford the trip, but the opening of the Erie Canal in the 1820s, and the development of railroads in New York and Southern Canada in subsequent decades, meant that middle-class couples could also make the journey. The completion of the Erie Canal also meant that tourists could travel on the northern tour to reach the falls. The ease of access meant that by 1841, honeymooning at Niagara Falls was so popular that a song was released, titled 'My Niagara Falls Honeymoon'.
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Frequently asked questions
The majestic scenery, the sound of the waterfalls, and the romantic dining options create an allure that is hard to resist for newlyweds.
In the early 1800s, Theodosia Burr, the daughter of US Vice President Aaron Burr, and her husband, Joseph Alston, travelled from Albany to the Falls as part of their bridal tour. This was followed by a similar trip by Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, and his bride. These high-profile honeymoons set a trend among the wealthy, and soon, with the opening of the Erie Canal and the development of railroads, middle-class couples were also flocking to Niagara Falls for their honeymoons.
Couples can enjoy romantic dinners at intimate restaurants, explore charming towns and stunning scenery, visit wineries, and take boat tours. They can also obtain a "We Honeymooned in Niagara Falls USA" certificate as a romantic keepsake.
Yes, Niagara Falls has been featured in several on-screen romances, including Superman II, where Lois Lane and Clark Kent are seen at the Falls, and The Office, where Jim and Pam get married on a Niagara Falls boat tour. The 1953 film Niagara, starring Marilyn Monroe, also placed the falls in the national limelight as a honeymoon destination.
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