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U.S. Customhouse (Niagara Falls)
Encyclopedia
The former U.S. Customhouse in Niagara Falls, New York
was a Custom House
for the United States
' side of the Niagara River
. It was built in 1863 and served served inspectors for the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
, Niagara Cantilever Bridge
, Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
, and Michigan Central Railway Bridge
at various points in its history. With Niagara Falls receiving the second highest amounts of American imports at one point, the customhouse was once a very busy post for its inspectors. Remaining in a US Customs capacity until the 1960s, it was sold to several different commercial owners before it was abandoned in 1998.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973, the building is now owned by the city of Niagara Falls 2003. State and local governments plan on building a new multi-million dollar
intermodal transportation center utilizing the original Custom House along with modern additions.
Slated to become the Niagara Falls International Railway Station, the rebuilding project consists of three phases, with a total estimated cost of $44 million. Construction on the project began in August 2010 and in October 2010, the US Department of Transportation released $16.5 million in funds from the TIGER
program for work on the final phase of the International Station project. Once completed, the new station will replace the current Niagara Falls Amtrak Station and will also house U.S. Customs and Border Protection
facilities.
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
was a Custom House
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Customs officials also collected customs duty on imported goods....
for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' side of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
. It was built in 1863 and served served inspectors for the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
The Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge was the world's first working railway suspension bridge. It spanned and stood downstream of Niagara Falls from 1855 to 1897...
, Niagara Cantilever Bridge
Niagara Cantilever Bridge
The Niagara Cantilever Bridge or Michigan Central Railway Cantilever Bridge was a cantilever bridge across the Niagara Gorge. An international railway-only bridge between Canada and the United States, it connected Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, located just south of the...
, Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, commonly called the Whirlpool Bridge, and until 1937, known as the Lower Steel Arch Bridge, is a spandrel braced, riveted, two-hinged arch bridge. It crosses the international border between Canada and the United States, connecting the commercial downtown districts of...
, and Michigan Central Railway Bridge
Michigan Central Railway Bridge
The Michigan Central Railway Bridge is a steel arch bridge spanning the Niagara Gorge between Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. The bridge was designed by William Perry Taylor, Chief Engineer J.L. Delming and consulting Norwegian-born engineer Olaf Hoff.Construction on the bridge...
at various points in its history. With Niagara Falls receiving the second highest amounts of American imports at one point, the customhouse was once a very busy post for its inspectors. Remaining in a US Customs capacity until the 1960s, it was sold to several different commercial owners before it was abandoned in 1998.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973, the building is now owned by the city of Niagara Falls 2003. State and local governments plan on building a new multi-million dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
intermodal transportation center utilizing the original Custom House along with modern additions.
Slated to become the Niagara Falls International Railway Station, the rebuilding project consists of three phases, with a total estimated cost of $44 million. Construction on the project began in August 2010 and in October 2010, the US Department of Transportation released $16.5 million in funds from the TIGER
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery is a supplementary discretionary grant program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009...
program for work on the final phase of the International Station project. Once completed, the new station will replace the current Niagara Falls Amtrak Station and will also house U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
facilities.
External links
- U. S. Custom House, Whirlpool Street at Lower Arch Bridge, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY: 14 photos, 5 data pages and 2 photo caption pages, at Historic American Building Survey