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American westward expansion and settlement continued to devastate Native societies and economies at the turn of the 20th century. Meanwhile, Americans often romantically viewed Native American people as though they were a vanished race, part of the primitive past. This romantic view of Native people often co-existed with Americans' growing fascination with "natural," or "untamed" landscapes. Buying Native made crafts at Niagara provided tourists the opportunity to connect with nature and Native culture. More or less restricted to meeting the desires and tastes of its customers, this limited interaction did little to communicate the richness and autonomy of Native culture to non-Native consumers.

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