Frozen Niagara Falls spawns amazing images

This week's polar vortex spread misery through large swaths of North America, but it undoubtedly was cause for some gorgeous scenery at one of the continent's most famous natural wonders.

And while Niagara Falls, one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, did not in fact freeze completely solid, as some mistakenly said, the frozen mist created gorgeous structures of cascading icicles.

More than six million cubic feet of water flow over Niagara's three drops each minute, making it nearly impossible for the flow to be totally halted, even with temperatures that dropped to below -30F.

Still, the Niagara River and the water at the base of the falls freezes over, sometimes forming a natural ice bridge that people used to walk across and even set up concession stands upon until, in the winter of 1912, three people were killed when a piece of the ice floe broke off.

And below, some incredible historical photos of Niagara in winter.