Niagara Falls was once considered a location for the eventual Disney World site, but almost twenty years earlier it was the United Nations that took a serious look at a home up river from the Falls.

In 1945 Navy Island, located almost three miles up river from Niagara Falls themselves on the Canadian side was seriously considered for the location for the newly formed United Nations. Navy Island would have been named the new World Peace Capital and the island would have served as headquarters for the United Nations.

An international committee took a serious look at the location in 1945 and 1946 and even had an artist create a drawing of what the complex would look like. Navy Island was considered to be a great location because it positioned on the boundary between two nations considered great freinds and allies in the United States and Canada.

The artist’s drawing showed the World Peace Capital with two bridges spanning both countries. One would have connected Grand Island, the largest fresh water island in the world and the other leading to Canada.

If the plan had been completed Navy Island would have become the property of the United Nations for as long as the headquarters existed in that location. Navy Island soon lost out however to the lure of its current location in New York City.

Artist rendering of proposed location for United Nations on Navy island. Photo courtesy Niagara Falls Ontario Public Library