One of the most visible signs of economic decline in Niagara Falls, New York, comes in the shape of “ghost” or “zombie” houses. Residential areas in the city are peppered with empty, boarded up and decaying houses. These houses are for the most part traditional mid-century clapboard structures, which even when down on their luck … Continue reading A City Haunted by Ghost Houses
Category: urban decline
Voices of Niagara: Richard Chapman, former Carborundum factory worker
We interviewed Richard Chapman, now retired, on 17th October 2018, about his experience of working at the Carborundum plant in Niagara Falls, where he was employed for ten years. "I got out of high school, I mean it was all right. Like I said, the people who lived next door to us, Mr. and Mrs. … Continue reading Voices of Niagara: Richard Chapman, former Carborundum factory worker
Human Accumulations: Documenting Niagara Falls
For Human Accumulations Alan Gignoux and Jenny Christensson are documenting the Niagara Falls of today – the waterfalls and the two cities of Niagara Falls in New York and Canada - in photographs and words in the form of interviews. Once, at the heart of an ancient forest, there was a beautiful waterfall, whose … Continue reading Human Accumulations: Documenting Niagara Falls
Voices of Niagara: Paul Dyster, Mayor of Niagara Falls, New York
In a city that was once an industrial power, that’s lost half of its population over the course of the last 50 or 60 years, economic development is always going to be a great challenge. There’s a certain irony in that since this was one of the first areas in North America to industrialise at … Continue reading Voices of Niagara: Paul Dyster, Mayor of Niagara Falls, New York
Voices of Niagara: Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario
"One of the biggest factors driving the success of the tourism industry in Niagara Falls, Ontario, was the emergence of gaming – casinos. In 1996 we had our first temporary casino open up and then in 2006 we had our permanent Falls View Casino, which was a billion dollar bill. And when that happened it … Continue reading Voices of Niagara: Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Voices of Niagara: Constance Hamilton, Sass Hair Salon
"My name is Constance G. Hamilton and I own and operate the beauty salon. I do hair, make up, ear piercing. My father came here from Alabama because there was work. At the time, there was no work in Alabama, unless you worked on a farm or something; he was having a new family, myself … Continue reading Voices of Niagara: Constance Hamilton, Sass Hair Salon
Human Accumulations 