The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has a special section in the archives section of their web site Hydroelectricity: The Power of Water with news clips from over the years. There is a 3 minute clip from Aug. 25, 1957 where they talk about Niagara Falls.
The plunging waters, thundering roar and spraying mist of Niagara Falls spell more than just romance. Since 1896 the falls have also provided hydroelectric power to residents on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. With a new 1957 agreement between Ontario and the state of New York, the falls will become the single biggest power supplier in the world. And, as the CBC’s Bruce Marsh reports, the view of the falls will remain as breathtaking as ever.
You should check it out. The black & white clip shows all the Falls, and explains a bit about how the hydro systems worked back then.