A History of Paper Making Around Niagara Falls

Paper production around the Niagara River region began in the mid-1800s. Mills were situated on various local canals whose waterpower (hydraulic) was needed to grind and process the rags into paper. The regions around Niagara Falls were prime locations to set up these mills. A critical element in the early paper production process was the conversion of raw materials, such as rags and straw, into pulp and finished paper. Over time, straw became exponentially more abundant than rags and far cheaper, but it was seasonal and supply limited. Technological changes and other factors revolutionized the manufacture of paper, over the last quarter of the nineteenth century, to incorporate the use of mechanical power provided by water. Complementary developments in the fields of generating and transmitting hydroelectric power allowed the industry to harness far greater quantities of energy. At the same time, the growth in the number and size of newspapers created an immense demand for newsprint. These forces all contributed to a dramatic increase in the number and productive capacity of paper mills in the Niagara Region, both on the Canadian and the American sides of the Niagara River.