NIAGARA COUNTY 

 Niagara County lies in the northwestern extremity of the 

 state, Lake Ontario forming its northern boundary and the 

 Niagara River on the west. It has an area of 334,080 acres. 

 Its average extent from north to south is approximately 18 

 miles ; from east to west it averages 28 miles. The population 

 is distributed as follows: 



Population bt Cities and Townships 



(Census of 1915) 



Lockport (city)* 18,693 Fendleton 1,323 



Niagara Falls (city) 42, 257 Porter 2, 504 



North Tonawanda (city) . 13, 498 Royalton 5, 006 



Cambria 1, 892 Somerset 2, 420 



Hartland 2, 7S3 Wheatfield 1, 936 



Lewiston 3, 276 Wilson 3, 216 



Lockport 2, 077 ■ 



Newfane 4,537 Total 108,550 



Niagara 2, 738 . - 



* Lockport is the county seat. 



Note. — Lockport now has a population of 21,000; Niagara Falls, 50,700: 

 North Tonawanda, 15,400. 



HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 



This county was formed from Genesee in 1808; in 1821 Erie 

 County was taken off. The name comes from the Iroquois word 

 " O'hniaga," which means "a bisected bottom-land." 



The section included in Niagara County was a portion of the 

 domain of the Seneca Indians, though none of their principal 

 villages were within its limits. At Lewiston was a portage used 

 by the natives at a very early day. When the French occupied 

 the county this portage came into regular use, heavy articles 

 being moved up and down the mountain by means of a rude 

 railway. 



The French, who were the first white men to visit this region, 

 built small forts at Niagara and La Salle. During the war of 

 1612 these forts were taken by the British, who remained in 

 control until 1706. During that war also, the villages of Lewis- 

 ton and Niagara Falls were burned, the inhabitants fortunate 

 enough to escape fleeing by way of the ridge road. 



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