🎉 Happy Birthday to Niagara Falls State Park – America’s First State Park! 🎉

On July 15, 1885, something revolutionary happened: New York State created Niagara Falls State Park, the first state park in the United States. Long before most of our national parks were founded, this small but mighty corner of the country became a model for protecting natural beauty for the public good.

At a time when private industry threatened to fence off the falls, a group of visionaries—led by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted—fought to return the land to the people. Their victory marked the first time in American history that a state preserved land not for profit or development, but for the enjoyment of all.

And they picked the right place to start.

Niagara Falls State Park is home to one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders—and it remains one of the most accessible. With over 400 acres of lush terrain, panoramic views, wooded trails, and historic attractions like the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds, the park still honors its original promise: to be open, free, and breathtakingly beautiful.

It’s not just New York’s treasure.

It’s America’s legacy.

🌊 So today we celebrate 139 years of public access, preservation, and awe.

🌲 We honor the park that helped inspire a nation.

🎂 And we say: Happy Birthday, Niagara Falls State Park.

Come feel the mist. Walk the trails. And witness where the American park movement began—right here in Western New York.