As part of 77 WABC’s countdown to America’s 250th birthday, we revisit one of the most unusual natural events in U.S. history.
On March 29, 1848, Niagara Falls—one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls—temporarily stopped flowing.
An ice jam formed upstream in the Niagara River, blocking the water supply and reducing the falls to a near standstill for roughly 30 hours.
Residents awoke to an eerie silence where the thunder of rushing water normally echoed. With the riverbed exposed, locals walked across areas typically hidden beneath the current, uncovering relics and debris long buried beneath the water.
The flow eventually resumed when the ice shifted and broke apart, sending water surging back over the falls.
The rare event remains a striking example of nature’s unpredictability—and a moment that stunned those who witnessed it firsthand.
This story is part of 77 WABC’s “This Day in History” series, marking the countdown to America’s 250th birthday—honoring the moments, milestones, and events that shaped the nation.
