In 1890 William T. Love had a dream of a city powered by electricity, and supplied by ships that would traverse the canal he intended to build around Niagara Falls. But things went badly for Love, and he had to abandon his dream with the town unbuilt and the canal only partially dug. But what started as a hole in the ground would turn into one of the most horrifying environmental disasters in U.S. history. This is the story of the Love Canal.

Sources:

http://myamericanodyssey.com/dumped-on-the-messy-truth-about-love-canal-ny/

http://articles.latimes.com/1993-05-16/news/mn-35999_1_love-canal