1969: When Niagara Falls Was Turned Off and Its Dark Secrets Emerged
When Niagara Falls Stopped: What They Found Beneath the Water
Most people think Niagara Falls never stops. That it roars endlessly, day and night, as it has for centuries. But in the summer of 1969, something extraordinary happened: the American Falls were turned off.
This wasn’t a magic trick or a natural anomaly. It was a deliberate engineering feat. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a temporary dam to divert the flow of the Niagara River away from the American Falls so scientists could study erosion and rock stability. For several months, the iconic cascade went silent, exposing a riverbed that hadn’t seen daylight in thousands of years.
And what they found underneath? That’s where the story gets even more fascinating.
Coins, Bones, and Sunglasses
First, the eerie part: at least two bodies were found at the bottom—along with countless human bones. Locals weren’t shocked. For years, the Falls had been a tragic final destination. But seeing the remains pulled from the rocks made that grim truth painfully real.
Then came the flood of objects—a chaotic mix of history and humanity. The dried-out riverbed was littered with everything from car parts and scrap metal to millions of coins tossed by tourists over the decades. People had thrown in change for luck, for love, for tradition. Altogether, tens of thousands of dollars in coins were collected—an accidental treasure chest in the mist.
Maybe even more haunting? On rare occasions, the Falls appear to freeze—when ice builds up and slows the water to a crawl. While water still flows underneath, the surface can turn into a frozen curtain. In 1936 and again in 2014, the Falls came eerily close to freezing solid, offering a ghostly stillness—and a glimpse into what’s usually hidden by the roar.
And then there are the stories that make it personal. One of our guides here at Go Niagara Tours told me that he was just a kid at the time, exploring the dry basin with wide eyes and muddy shoes. Among the rocks and debris, he found a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and $12 in bills—a jackpot for a boy in 1969, and proof that even the river keeps secrets.
The Silent Summer
For those few months, the American Falls were quiet. Visitors described the scene as ghostly—no roar, no spray, just wind and the sound of boots on stone. People walked where water usually thundered. Photographers, engineers, scientists, and curious tourists all came to witness this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
It was both thrilling and unsettling: nature’s power, paused.
Would They Ever Do It Again?
There’s been talk over the years of dewatering the Falls again for bridge repairs or further geological studies, but the idea sparks debate. Is it worth silencing something so sacred—even temporarily?
Whether it happens again or not, 1969 remains a legendary chapter in Niagara Falls history. It reminds us that even under the most familiar places, mysteries are waiting—sometimes under thousands of gallons of rushing water.
So next time you’re standing near the edge of the American Falls, watching that endless cascade, take a moment to imagine what’s just beneath it all. A little history, a little mystery—and maybe even someone’s long-lost sunglasses.