THE DAY THE FALLS STOOD STILL

THE DAY THE FALLS STOOD STILL by Cathy Marie Buchanan was read for the Just for Fun Reading Challenge 2012.

From the back of the book:

1915.  Niagara Falls.  The dawn of the hydroelectric power era.  Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath, who has led a sheltered existence as the younger daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company, meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform and finds herself inexplicably drawn to him - against her family's strong objections.  Tom is not from their world.  Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls.  His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies that seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves.  As the paths of Bess and Tom become entwined, Bess must make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.

I love Niagara Falls.  Dom and I have been there twice and I can't wait to go back again.  There is something about watching all that water flow over the falls that amazes me, hypnotizes me.  The force and power of the water has to be seen to be believed.  If you haven't been there, you really must go.

So this fascination with Niagara Falls prompted me to read this book.  It was a love story of Bess and Tom, but also about Tom's love and respect of the river.  His grandfather, Fergus Cole, was a local hero who had saved people from the riverbed in March 1848, when the falls had been reduced to a trickle by an ice jam in Lake Erie.  The wind had shifted and the ice jam moved, allowing the river to then surge toward the falls.  Tom followed in his grandfather's footsteps and seemed to know exactly what the river would do.

In the author's note at the end of the book, she explains that the character of Tom Cole was based on William "Red" Hill, who was known for his knowledge of the river and his daring rescues.   Two of his rescues were used as the inspiration for parts of the book.

An interesting note.  Water is diverted daily from the Niagara River for power generation.  During the tourist season days, fifty percent of the water is diverted and during the winter months, seventy-five percent is diverted.  It's impossible to imagine the full power of the water if what I saw was only half of the water that could be coming over the falls.  I stood on the Hurricane Deck next to the Bridal Veil Falls and was nearly blown over by the force of the water - and that is the area that gets the smallest amount of water.

You must visit the falls to experience first-hand the wonder and excitement.  Ride upriver past the falls to see the whirlpool (which we didn't see but will the next time we're there).  Try to imagine the power of the water.  Stand, as I did, right next to the falls and be mesmerized.  Then read this book and picture the events in your mind.  I can't wait to go back.

I'll close with a few pictures we took on our last trip to Niagara Falls.

 The American Falls

 The Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls

The American Falls

 American Falls and Canadian Falls in the back

 Bridal Veil Falls

 Dom at the base of the Bridal Veil Falls