"Niagara Falls"

Preserved on a Kodachrome Transparency, this image captures one of the most visited and most powerful natural wonders in the world — Niagara Falls, seen from above along the edge of the American Falls, the thundering white water cascading into a billowing mist below. A crowd of visitors lines the observation walkway at the very edge, tiny against the scale of what they came to see. The Rainbow Bridge spans the gorge in the background. The town stretches out beyond.

Niagara has been drawing visitors since long before the age of tourism — artists, honeymooners, thrill seekers and presidents among them. At its peak, more than six million gallons of water per minute pour over the edge, making it one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world. Standing at the railing, feeling the spray on your face and the roar in your chest, is one of those experiences that no photograph can fully prepare you for.