Books: By Authors: Lynda H. Schneekloth

The Power Trail: History of Hydroelectricity at Niagara

Olmsted in Buffalo and Niagara

Lynda H. Schneekloth, ASLA, is professor at the School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo and Associate of the Urban Design Project. Her education on the history of hydroelectricity at Niagara was a crash course received during the Niagara Power Project Relicensing effort (2003 - 2006) where she served as a representative of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper in negotiating on behalf of the Niagara River. Professor Schneekloth taught a design studio in the Fall of 2003 on "The Power Trail" in which students prepared historic documentation on the various power plants followed by proposals for how this history might be made more visible to the residents and visitors to Niagara Falls, New York and Canada. This book has its origins in the substantial research and design of that studio.

The Power Trail is an attempt to bring to the general public the illumination and excitement we experienced as we uncovered the extraordinary history of hydroelectricity at Niagara Falls embedded in the story of people, buildings and ruins. Alongside the past and present celebration of the technological achievement of power are the efforts of the "Free Niagara Movements" to conserve one of the most beautiful places on earth, Niagara Falls. Both of these stories are told in The Power Trail.

Schneekloth is the author of several books to include Placemaking: The Art and Practice of Building Communities (1995) with R. Shibley; Ordering Space: Types in Architecture and Design (1994) with K. Franck; and Changing Places: ReMaking Institutional Buildings (1992) with B. Campagna and M. Feuerstein.