Statement of Significance (as of designation - May 23, 1963):
Established in 1885 to reclaim the natural setting of the Falls from exploitation, Niagara Reservation was the first State park created under the power of eminent domain. Renowned landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, designed the landscape plan for the reservation, which he also helped establish.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is in the midst of undertaking various projects that will help return the reservation to its historic appearance, including a phased landscape restoration in keeping with Olmsted’s vision, the installation of interpretive signage and the development of educational programming. While the Reservation’s vast surroundings have been compromised by intensive commercial development on the Canadian side of the Falls, impacting its visual setting, Niagara Reservation itself is not in imminent danger of losing its integrity.