Dark History and Fantastic Exploits in the Niagara Falls Region

Episode Description- This episode brings you to one of the world's biggest tourist destinations for honeymooners- the Niagara Falls Region of New York. We cover both natural and dark history of the falls, as well as some Native American Folklore, the Underground Railroad, and some of the fantastic exploits of people like Annie Edson Taylor and Monsieur Charles Blondin trying to tame the falls in barrels and on tightropes. We cover one of the first attempts at advertising the area as a hot vacation spot and how it went terribly wrong. This place was so popular even an Egyptian Pharaoh made it to the region, though not by choice... Strap in and hold on as we plunge into Niagara Falls History!

The Niagara Falls area is rich in history. There's an a legend from the Native American Ongura Tribe regarding a young maiden who helped saved the tribe with the help of the Thunder God Heno from a great serpent who was poisoning the water. Heno's voice is said to still be heard in the thunder of the falls. Niagara Falls is home to the first state park in the United States, designed in part by Frederick Law Olmstead. 

Harriet Tubman loved Upstate New York and helped guide many escaping the binds of slavery along the route of the Underground Railroad in the Niagara Falls Region. There's more we want to cover on this topic in a future episode and we touch on the importance of this region to the Underground Railroad within this episode. 

Annie Edson Taylor was not only the first woman to go over the falls in a barrel, but the first person to go over Horseshoe Falls in a barrel on October 24, 1901. She was a 63 year old school teacher who had fallen on hard times and was trying to earn some money. We cover the story of this amazing woman in depth in the episode. 

Monseiur Charles Blondin was a French acrobat who was the first person to cross the Niagara Falls in 1857 using a 2 inch diameter cable made of hemp. He made several trips back and forth from Canada to New York, fascinating spectators with his feats. Many of his exploits truly reflected the challenges many persons of color were experiencing as they traversed the Underground Railroad which crossed the river nearby on their way to freedom in Canada. 

References:

Abbott, K. (2011, October 18). The Daredevil of Niagara Falls. Retrieved from Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-daredevil-of-niagara-falls-110492884/

History.com Editors. (2019, June 11). Niagara Falls. Retrieved from History: https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/niagara-falls

Likens, T. (2018, April 3). Worst Niagara Falls promotion ever: Sending helpless animals in cages over the waterfall in a “pirate” boat. Retrieved from The Vintage News: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/04/03/niagara-falls-animals-boat/?Exc_D_LessThanPoint002_p1=1

McKinley, J. (2019, May 1). Overlooked No More: Annie Edson Taylor, Who Tumbled Down Niagara Falls Into Fame. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html

Scholosser, S. E. (2022, August 28). The Maid of the Mist. Retrieved from American Folklore: https://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/09/the_maid_of_the_mist.html

Strand, G. (2010). Secrets of Niagara Falls. Retrieved from New York Archives: https://www.nysarchivestrust.org/application/files/5015/6467/3657/archivesmag_summer2010.pdf