Historian Paul Gromosiak made an interesting appearance last week on the Sal Paonessa show on www.nbn7900.com.

Gromosiak, 69, who has written nine books on Niagara Falls and who has been a leading advocate for preserving natural elements surrounding the Falls, told Paonessa’s audience he was retiring, in part, because of the Wallenda walk.

“People just want honky tonk,” he said. “A man walking on a wire across Niagara Falls; it is belittling the Falls. He diminished it by being there…. They did not come to see the wonder, they came to see Nik ...

“People here don’t care about the history of the city. The old chimney (a two-story stone chimney historians believe was once attached to the French barracks at Fort du Portage, circa 1750) is leaning over to fall. You know what they will do? (Instead of saving it) they will use the stones for a rock garden for a hotel .... People, all they care about is gambling, drinking, and good times.”

Gromosiak condemned “the Canadian side," calling it “not natural but just an amusement park.”

Of New York State, he said, “The state made Niagara Falls a third world cesspool.”

He said he was opposed to the Maid of the Mist “to a point.” And opposed night lights shining on the Falls.

“The Niagara river is the most important flyway for songbirds in the world,” he said Lights distract them.

“The people in Niagara Falls have forgotten what nature means.”
Gromosiak said that, given the low character of some people today, they will probably go back to watching live animals go over the falls in a boat to see if they survive, as they did in 1827.

During the 30-minute interview with Paonessa, he was frequently interrupted by Paonessa's co-host Steve Baum. At one point, an exasperated Gromosiak said to Baum, “we should cut all the trees down on Goat Island and make it an amusement park.
That’s what you would like to do.”

Baum called Gromosiak confrontational and abrasive.

Gromosiak said he was lured onto the show for people harass him.

Paonessa said, “Nobody wants to harass you, but we don’t have agree with everything you say either."

One caller to the show told Gromosiak, “what you need to do is close up shop and rest.”

“That’s what I am going to do,” Gromosiak retorted.

One man condemned Gromosiak for not supporting Wallenda.

Gromosiak asked him, “What are you doing to support him? Are you sending Wallenda any money? He is tying to collect $50,000 from the citizens of Niagara Falls. What are you giving?”
The man hung up.

Gromosiak said of him, “That man who lambasted me, let him save the city. He has got all the answers…. I care about this place very, very much. I care about its history. I have spoken to tens of thousands of tourists. I know what people are interested in. I know what they like.”

Mr. Gromosiak said he designed the original model of the proposed Niagara Experience Center. He has the model at home and said he is going to throw it in the garbage “next week.”

Despite his “retirement,” Gromosiak said he is working on another book on Niagara Falls. His books have sold an estimated 30,000 copies.