The Schoellkopf Power Station ruins occupy the gorge wall about a mile north of the falls on the American side. The station was built in phases between 1895 and 1924 and at its peak was one of the largest hydroelectric generating facilities in the world. In June 1956, a massive rockfall from the gorge wall destroyed two-thirds of the station; the remaining structure was later demolished, and the ruins are now a state historic site.
The ruins themselves — brick walls, arched windows, turbine housings open to the gorge — are atmospherically dramatic against the backdrop of the river below. A small geological museum (the former Niagara Gorge Discovery Center) is nearby and explains the geological history of the gorge. This is a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in industrial history or the history of electricity; for most visitors, the connection to Tesla and the pivotal moment in electrical engineering gives it more weight than it might otherwise have.