One of the most beautiful landmarks in the twenty-first century!

Niagara Falls is known as the “Honeymoon Capital of the World”, going back to 1801 since then thousands of people have gotten married here throughout the last over 200 years, come and experience this Natural Wonder.

Niagara Falls is internationally known through many popular movies filmed in the area, some include: “Niagara” in 1953 which led to Marilyn Monroe’s successful career. In 1980 “Superman II” starring Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder was taped at the famous Table Rock area. The producer of the 2006 movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” shot footage of the Falls on the American Side and computer generated the ship going over the waterfalls in the movie.

The American Falls pales in comparison to the Horseshoe Falls, but still is regarded one of the most beautiful landmarks in the world. On average, the falls are about seventy to one-hundred feet, because of the gigantic boulders at its base. Though only ten percent of all the water flowing down the Niagara River goes to the American Falls, it is something one has to see before their death.
The Horseshoe Falls is the more iconic view of Niagara Falls, to this day. Ninety percent of all the water flowing in the Niagara River falls down Horseshoe Falls, which has a drop of about 170 feet, or 54 meters. It also is 2200 feet wide, or 675 meters. During its peak season, which is in September to October, 100,000 cubic feet of water fall down every second. This causes a thunderous noise to be heard when anywhere in the vicinity of the pounding liquids. However, it averages about half of its peak season at normal times. These waterfalls are considered to be one of the most beautiful landmarks in the twenty-first century.

LEGENDS & DAREDEVILS

Over the years there has been many daredevils attempting to go over the Falls, here are a few stories of the most famous daredevils, visit the IMAX, Niagara Adventure Movie or the Daredevil museum to learn about more people. Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor became the first women to challenge Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was a school teacher in Bay City, Michigan and had lost her husband and son. On her 46th birthday, weighing 160 pounds she attempted to go over Niagara Falls in a white Kentucky oak barrel held together by seven iron hoops, the barrel was four and half feet long and weighed 160 pounds. She began her trip from the north side of Goat Island, wearing a black dress and a flowery hat, about 600 feet from shore standing on a anvil, she climbed into the barrel which was padded by a mattress and the lid screwed into place. The barrel flowed over the Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side; Mrs. Taylor successfully endured the trip without any major injuries, just some cuts and bruises. When rescued and released from the barrel, Mrs. Taylor stated “nobody ought to ever do that again”.

The most famous of Niagara’s daredevils was Jean Francois Gravelot (AKA: The Great Blondin), who in 1859 successfully crossed the Niagara River on a tightrope. The tightrope was 1,100 feet long and he began is walk from the American side to the Canadian side in 20 minutes, using a 30 foot long balancing pole weighing 40 pounds. The Great Blondin successfully made eight more crossings in 1859.

On July 9th, 1960 a seven year old boy named Roger Woodward became the first person to survive a plunge over the Falls without a barrel. He did not set out to be a daredevil; Roger, his 17 year old sister, Deanna and a family friend names James Honeycutt began their boat ride five miles upstream where they were camping. About one mile upstream of the Horseshoe Falls, Honeycutt began to turn the boat in the opposite direction when the boat motor malfunctioned and quit running. Honeycutt began rowing to shore but the current was carrying the boat towards the Falls very quickly. The children put on the life preserves, Honeycutt did not have time to put on one. Waves capsized the boat near the Falls separating the three. Deanna was rescued by two men at Terrapin Point before going over the Falls. Roger Woodward and James Honeycutt travelled over the crest of Horseshoe Falls, ripping his shoes off down the cascade. Woodward was forced into 180 foot deep water at the base of the Falls where he quickly floated to the surface. The crew of the Maid of the Mist notices Roger Woodward bobbing up and down then rescued the young boy from the waters. James Honeycutt was not as lucky as the children surviving the fall, he was battered and drowned.

The fifteenth person since 1901 to face the Falls was Robert Overacker, 39 year old from Camarillo, California challenged the Niagara River by riding a single jet ski directly brink of the Horseshoe Falls and once reaching the brink of the Horseshoe Falls ignited a propelled parachute that was a strapped to his back with the intent of landing safely in the River. The tragedy is that the parachute was not tethered to his body correctly and Overacker fell to his death in the water below the Falls, sacrificing his life.

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