The Prospect Point Observation Tower, as it officially named, was built in 1961. The aluminum, steel, and glass tower rises 282 feet (86 meters) from the bottom of the Niagara Gorge. At the same time, its horizontal platform extends far enough from the gorge’s walls to provide unobstructed views of the waterfalls and the river’s raging whitewater. Elevators provide access to the Maid of the Mist boats and the staircases to the Crow's Nest, an observation point near the American Falls.