Fame and Niagara Falls come in many different forms. You have the infamous daredevils who take on the falls. Then you have the tightrope walkers who are always looking for a bigger and better challenge. Then there are the true celebrities who, just like the rest of us normal people, like sightseeing too.
Niagara Falls Daredevils
The list of daredevils is long and notorious, so here is an overview of some of the better known stunts at Niagara Falls.
- Anne Taylor. Looking for fame and fortune, Mrs. Anne Taylor, a 63-year-old schoolteacher, thought that a trip over the Falls was the answer. On October 24, 1901, she was strapped into a special harness in a barrel and towed out into the mainstream of the Niagara River. She achieved the fame of being the first person to conquer these mighty falls but fortune did not follow. She died destitute 20 years later.
- Bobby Leach. On July 25, 1911, Bobby Leach successfully made the trip in a steel barrel, but spent six months in the hospital recuperating from the injuries and fractures sustained in the feat.
- Red Hill, Jr. In 1951, Red Hill, Jr. planned a trip over the Falls in a flimsy contraption made of thirteen inner tubes and held together with fishnet and canvas straps. He didn't make it.
- Roger Woodward. The first person that survived going over the falls with only the benefit of a lifejacket was Roger Woodward, a seven-year-old boy that was taken out for a boat ride by a friend to get a closer look at the falls. When the boat's motor malfunctioned, they were caught in the swift current with no control. The light boat overturned and Roger and the driver of the boat were carried toward the Falls. Roger was swept over and outwards by the trajectory of the Falls and moments later the captain of the Maid of the Mist could hardly believe his eyes when he saw him appear in the rapid waters at the base of the Falls.
- The Great Blondin. At the age of 31, the Great Blondin came to America and announced that he would cross the gorge of the Niagara River on tightrope. On June 30, 1859, he did just that. On the way across he stopped, lowered a rope to the Maid of the Mist and pulled up a bottle, sat down and took a drink. On the way to finishing his stunt he stopped again and performed a back somersault. He also crossed on tightrope with a bicycle, made the trip blindfolded and with his hands and feet manacled, and even cooked an omelet at the halfway point. On August 19th he carried his manager on his back, but he had to stop and have his manager dismount six times to regain his strength to keep going. He made it just barely and lived to ripe age of 73.
- William Hunt. A resident of Port Hope, Ontario named William Hunt or Signor Farini duplicated all of Blondin's stunts but never gained the notoriety of Blondin. On September 5, 1860, he strapped an Empire Washing Machine to his back, walked to the center, and drew water from the river almost 200 feet below with a pail and cord. Several ladies had given him their handkerchiefs to wash and he did. After hanging the laundry out to dry on his crossbars he readjusted his load and returned letting the handkerchiefs dry in the wind.
Famous Niagara Falls Visitors
- In 1952 Joe DiMaggio came to Niagara Falls to visit Marilyn Monroe who was in town filming "Niagara," which helped make Niagara Falls the honeymoon capital of the world.
- Sir Winston Churchill visited on August 12, 1943, Wayne Gretzky on June 24, 1989, Charles Dickens in 1842 and said, " I felt how near to my Creator I was standing." Abraham Lincoln mused, "Where in the world did all that water come from?"
- In 1951, Queen Elizabeth (at that time Princess Elizabeth) visited with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh. They were welcomed with a 21-gun salute.
- On July 23, 1987, the Duke and Duchess of York spent their first anniversary at Niagara Falls. They enjoyed a private reception held for them at the Skylon Tower and then went for a private ride on the Maid of the Mist.
- On October 23, 1991, the late Princess Diana along with sons Prince William and Prince Harry toured Table Rock, The Scenic Tunnels, and the Maid of the Mist then stopped for lunch at the Queen Victoria Restaurant.
Come to Niagara Falls for a wonderful vacation and share the same experiences that many people have before you. Famous or not, seeing the majesty of the Falls and enjoying all that the area has to offer will make this a most memorable trip.
