Renowned artist Justin Suarez, known as @aerosolkingdom, has masterfully brought to life the stunning mural titled "Light Bearers" at Niagara Falls High School. This awe-inspiring project represents a collaboration between Niagara Falls High School and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

Having witnessed the success of the numerous murals gracing the city of Niagara Falls that were created as part of the NFNHA's Heritage Arts/NFMurals program, the project's stakeholders turned to the expertise of the NFNHA staff to guide their vision to fruition.

The artist chose to depict two young people holding a lantern in the midst of a labyrinth. The light from the lantern represents the path forward, through the maze of challenges that high school can present. The stars surrounding the lantern represent the way that these two young people share their light with others, providing hope and guidance to those who are lost. The circle around the labyrinth represents the completion of one journey, as well as the start of another. The labyrinth itself represents the challenges and obstacles that these two young people will face in high school, but also the potential for growth and self-discovery.

In the near future, Suarez is poised to embark on yet another captivating mural project within the community, aiming to forge a connection between the school and the community it serves.

From 1817 to 1825, U.S. and immigrant laborers built the Erie Canal for a dollar or less per day and without any formal training in engineering. The canal originally stretched 363 miles from the Hudson River in Albany to Lake Erie in Buffalo. Although the Erie Canal did not extend to Niagara Falls, the history and success of the canal, the city, and the famous cataract are deeply connected.

Jesse Hawley was first to publish a plan for a canal across New York State. He was a Geneva merchant who shipped flour to market in New York City. Travel in those days was costly, difficult, and time-consuming. When, in April 1805, Hawley expressed to a supplier that a canal could connect various waterways in the state, the supplier said it was impossible because there was no supply of water to keep the canal filled. Hawley stared bewildered at a state map until he saw Niagara Falls and instantly realized that Lake Erie could be that supply. In 1807 and 1808, he published a series of fourteen essays that detailed his plans for the canal. His friends and readers ridiculed him.

While Niagara Falls inspired Hawley, others questioned whether the canal should route to Lake Erie or circumvent the Falls to Lake Ontario. In 1816, meetings were held statewide to address the debate. At stake were issues of safety, cost, and commerce. Many believed that the Ontario route was impossible because of the solid rock along the Niagara River. Others were concerned about competition with Canada.

Even though the Erie route prevailed, the canal had a tremendous impact on Niagara Falls. The Erie Canal opened the city to “trade, industry, and tourism on a large scale,” stimulating both its population and economy. From the 1820s to the early 1860s, Niagara Falls was a major tourist destination for the middle class who could now travel easily and inexpensively on the canal.

Across New York State, the Erie Canal provided escape routes and safe houses for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. It conveyed abolitionist newspapers and pamphlets marked for national distribution. Along the canal towpath, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass connected with one another. The Erie Canal helped freedom seekers get to Niagara Falls and the International Suspension Bridge where they could cross into Canada. Others stayed in the city and built new lives.

Erie Canal use declined with the popularity of the railroad. Today, it is mostly used by commercial vessels, canoes, kayaks, and pleasure boats. Congress declared the Erie Canal a National Historic Corridor in 2000.

Author: Hope L. Russell, Ph.D.

The skilled team at B.R. Howard & Associates has successfully reinstalled additional artwork at the Prophet Isaiah Second Coming House. Of particular note are the towering vertical structures, standing at an impressive height of over 27 feet! These remarkable pieces have been meticulously crafted with robust steel beams integrated within, ensuring their resilience against the elements, especially the wind. Remarkably, they faithfully mirror the original creations by Isaiah Robertson, while also being thoughtfully engineered for long-lasting endurance.

The colorful fence has also been reinstalled, marking yet another milestone in the project's progress. It's an exciting step forward, with the iconic cross likely up next in the process.