105 years ago, Niagara Falls ice bridge cracks, and three are swept to their deaths

From the Buffalo News:

Believe it or not, visitors to Niagara Falls used to be able to walk on the ice bridges that form naturally at the base of the cataracts.

The ice bridges form every winter, typically in January, when Lake Erie is frozen over. Winds push blocks of ice down the Niagara River and over the falls where they freeze into a large chunk.

In the 1800s and 1900s, ice bridges provided visitors with a unique view of the falls in the winter and were hugely popular. Vendors would even set up wooden shacks on the ice to sell souvenirs and food to tourists.

But ever since a tragic incident on Feb. 4, 1912, the ice bridges have been closed.

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