Niagara Falls Up Close

Historic Lewiston

Lewiston New York was actually the location where Niagara Falls began some 12,000 years ago after the Wisconsin glacier receded. The waterfalls known as Niagara Falls have since eroded almost seven miles up the Niagara River to their present location, but Lewiston has become a charming tourist destination in it’s own right.

Lewiston’s Center Street features numerous restaurants, shops and boutiques and this is a great day trip while visiting the Niagara region.

Lewiston is also the home to Artpark

The fact that Lewiston sits on the beautiful Niagara River means that the vibrant and scenic waterfront offers pleasure boating and a tremendous fishery. Charter boats are available for fishing both on the Niagara River and out to Lake Ontario.

Lewiston is also one of the boarding areas for the Official Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours. Since 1992 the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours have taken passengers on a thrilling ride up the Niagara River to the swirling and bubbling white water Whirlpool.

Festivals

Smelt Festival

This charming community has a number of Spring, Summer and Fall festivals that bring thousands to this historic village each year. Some of the festivals include “The Smelt Festival”, “The Jazz Festival”, “The Tour of Kitchens”, “The Garden Fest” and the long-running “Peach Festival” in September.

Hustler’s Tavern sign

Lewiston also claims to be the home to the very first “cocktail”.  The story goes that Hustler’s Tavern was owned by a Catherine Hustler and she  is credited with inventing a “cocktail” when she stirred a “gin mixture” with the tail feather of a stuffed cockerel. A cockerel is a rooster or cock pheasant.

Hustler’s pitch in serving her drink to British soldiers was that it “warms both soul and body and is fit to be put in a vessel of diamonds.”

The Burning of Lewiston

Lewiston now features the “Tuscarora Heroes Monument” which is a full-size sculpture at the corner of Center Street and Portage Road depicting Tuscarora natives saving Lewiston villagers during the burning of Lewiston on December 19th, 1813. The sculpture was created by Susan Geissler and dedicated on the 200th anniversary, December 19th, 2013.

Tuscarora Monument