Sunday, October 26, 2008

Annie Taylor takes the plunge

On Oct. 24, 1901, sixtysomething schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor became the first human to ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel and live. That was 107 years ago yesterday.

Sam Patch had done it without the barrel, way back in 1829 -- in fact, he did it twice -- but Taylor's stunt is no less remarkable for that.

The Daredevil Museum, on the falls' New York side, has an impressive collection of photos and memorabilia of other attempts, successful and un.

1 comment:

Lex Alexander said...

Memo to self: Never let Hooper find out that such a museum exists. In fact, never let Hooper find out Niagara Falls exists.