Gordon Falls is a Canadian waterfall in Albert County, New Brunswick. Located off River Road just south from Elgin,[3] the falls are part of the Pollett River, which flows between Elgin and Salisbury.[4] The falls are located by the stone bridge,[5] which crosses the Pollett River.[6] The falls are surrounded by cliffs measuring 10–20 meters (33–66 ft),[3] making it a popular destination for swimming and cliff jumping. The area has been subject to major safety concerns by locals due to the amount of incidents and accidents resulting in people being injured or killed.
| Gordon Falls | |
|---|---|
 Gordon Falls, pictured between 1865–1875 | |
 | |
| Location | near Elgin, Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Coordinates | 45°47′3″N 65°5′40″W / 45.78417°N 65.09444°W[1] |
| Total height | 6 meters (20 ft)[2] |
| Watercourse | Pollett River |
Description
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Gordon Falls is named after Arthur Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Baron Stanmore.[7] In 1864, Abner Reid McClelan, the MLA for Albert at the time, gave the falls its name to commemorate Gordon, then-Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, while he visited Elgin.[8]
Gordon Falls, the nearby Gibson falls, as well as the gorge lying between them are popular cliff jumping and swimming destinations for young tourists,[9][10][11][12] leading to the area becoming the subject of major safety concerns by locals,[4] including firefighters from Elgin who have advised against cliff jumping.[13] The area's drainage basin is difficult to reach, resulting in tourists, who frequent the spot during the summer, jumping off cliffs to reach them.[14]
Safety concerns were made at both falls due to the frequency of incidents and accidents leading to injury or death;[15][4][16] fatal accidents have occurred at the falls as early as 1884.[17] In 2008, environmental concerns were further brought up by locals when a nearby rock quarry began development by removing the top from the nearby Tucker Mountain for potential uranium mining operations.[18] On June 10, 2024, two men in their early twenties died from injuries sustained at Gibson Falls.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Gordon Falls". Geographical Names Board of Canada. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Ganong 1917, p. 108.
- ^ a b "Gordon Falls". Waterfalls of New Brunswick. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Pollett River Habitat Assessment" (PDF). Environmental Assessments. Moncton, New Brunswick: Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Sweet Spots". Times & Transcript. 13 April 2002. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Mazerolle, Brent (18 October 2003). "A tour of beauty; Albert County; Westmorland County; Kent County Now's the time to pack the family into the car and take in Mother Nature's fall fashion showfall's foilage splendor". Times & Transcript. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Provincial Archives of New Brunswick". Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Telegraph-Journal. 23 June 2001. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Ganong 1917, p. 106.
- ^ "Firefighters says Elgin-area cliff diving needs better policing". CBC News. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Cochrane, Alan (22 September 2009). "Elgin bridge fix panned; Historic structure to be reinforced with 'temporary' Bailey bridge that can support heavy trucks". Times & Transcript. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Cunningham, Norbert (12 August 2016). "Loss of store hard, but there's no 'quit' in Elgin". Times & Transcript. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Morris, Chris (12 October 2009). "New book explores province's waterfalls". Telegraph-Journal. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Chief warns against dangers of cliff diving". Telegraph-Journal. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b Lapointe, Suzanne (11 June 2024). "2 dead at popular swimming spot in Elgin, N.B. - New Brunswick". Global News. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ Toogood, Allison (15 July 2010). "Don't take risks when cooling off this summer; n N.B. branch of the Lifesaving Society promotes ?safety first' when out in the water, especially for children". Times & Transcript. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ Dwyer, Erin (19 July 2003). "Legend of the falls; Great waterfalls to visit; Enthusiasts believe waterfalls are one of the province's best-kept secrets". Telegraph-Journal. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Short Locals: A Good Budget of News from all Parts of the Province". The Daily Gleaner. 17 May 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ Reeves, Sandy (13 December 2008). "Letter". Times & Transcript. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
Bibliography
edit- Ganong, William Francis (1917). "Article II". Notes on the natural history and physiography of New Brunswick. Saint John, New Brunswick: Barnes and Company. pp. 105–111. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
External links
edit- Gordon Falls on the Canadian Geographical Names Database