Niagara Falls Facts

THE MAID OF THE MIST

The meaning of Niagara is “thundering water”. Many people have tried to cross the thundering waters, but few have survived. Long, long ago, near the Niagara Falls and in the place where the town of Buffalo, New York, now is, there lived a tribe of red Indians known as the Ongiaras. They told many stories and legends, out of which the most famous of all is still known. So now listen carefully, because I am about to tell you the story of Lelawala, the Maid of the Mist…

Among the Ongiaras, it was believed that The Thunder Gods lived behind the Niagara Falls. These gods were the gods of weather and sent rain, thunder, hail and snow whenever they were displeased. Lelawala was the most beautiful girl in the whole tribe. Her father married her to the Old Chief of the tribe. But the Chief of the Thunder Gods, He-No, called to her to join him. So, on her Wedding Night, Lelawala ran away quietly to the Niagara Falls. She heard He-No calling out to her from the falls, so she stole a canoe, and paddled down the Niagara Falls.

Soon she was caught in the powerful current, tossing and turning, as her little canoe was buffeted by the forces of the mighty Niagara River. Finally she fell over the falls! He-No caught her and took her into his cave. She became on of the Thunder beings whose voices can be heard in the thundering of the Falls even today. She became a part of the local legends of Niagara and was henceforth called “the Maid of the Mist”.

Even today, the boat tour of Niagara is called Maid of the Mist. Many people have tried to cross the Falls; few have succeeded like…

The first person to go over the Niagara Falls in a barrel and return alive, she was a school teacher from Auburn, New York. On October 24, 1901, her 63rd birthday, her barrel was set adrift from a rowboat, south of Goat Island, after Annie had climbed in with her lucky heart shaped pillow. The currents carried it over to Canadian Horseshoe falls, and took the plunge down. Rescuers reached her barrel shortly after this. Her trip took 20 minutes.

Jean Francois Blondin

This tight rope walker strung a tightrope from the gorge, over to the Rainbow bridge, and successfully walked across and returned alive.

Steve Trotter 

He was the first American to cross the Niagara Falls in a barrel in 25 years and the youngest, only 22 years old.

John David Munday 

The first person to survive going over the Niagara Falls two times.