USA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS : NIAGARA FALLS

NIAGARA FALLS TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The Niagara Falls sit squarely on the border of Ontario & New York State. Niagara Falls is a township on the New York side of the Falls. Buffalo is some 17 miles on the NY side also.

Niagara Falls were formed some 20,000 years ago by retreating glaciers at the end of the last ice age.

The first person to go over the falls in a barrel was Annie Taylor in 1901. Using a bicyle pump the air was compressed into her airtight wooden barrel. Sadly, she died in poverty after expecting that her daring deed would be amply rewarded !

In 1911, Bobby Leach tried it in a steel barrel! He was badly injured with a broken jaw & kneecaps.

Charles G. Stephens in 1920 tried it in a wooden barrel weighted down with an anvil. He was never seen again.

Some 8 years later Jean Lussier made it in a large rubber ball.

There have been several really bizarre efforts over the years:

In 1995 Robert Overcracker was killed riding a jetski over the Falls. He had planned to then parachute down but it failed to open and his body was never recovered.

Kirk Jones in 2003 decided to swim over! His friend forgot to video the feat after too many cans of beer , however, it probably help relax Kirk who survived the ordeal !

At least 2 adventurers have been over the falls on 2 separate occasions.

On a sad note some 20 people kill themselves every year in successful suicide attempts

The Niagara Falls is a very famous New York State attraction .