🛢️ A Chronological History of Niagara’s Daredevils—Jumpers, Swimmers, Boaters, Fliers
By Go Niagara Tours
For nearly 200 years, Niagara Falls hasn’t just been a breathtaking natural wonder—it’s been a proving ground for daredevils, dreamers, and thrill-seekers. From tightrope walkers balancing above the gorge to barrel-riders plunging over the Horseshoe Falls, each stunt was a gamble with death—and an unforgettable chapter in Niagara’s wild story.
What follows is the most chronological list of Niagara Falls daredevils we could put together. We’ve scoured newspapers, archives, and firsthand accounts to piece together every known act of bravado. If someone’s missing, let us know—we’d love to update this living record.
From 1827 to 1927 – The Original Daredevils of the Falls
1827 – Schooner “Michigan”
(Animals aboard, all perished except one goose)
First organized stunt at Niagara. A condemned schooner carrying animals was sent over Horseshoe Falls by hotel owners to draw tourists.
1829 – Sam Patch
(Survived)
First person to leap into the Niagara River from high above. Made two successful dives from 85 and 130 feet.
1856 – E. Jackson
(Survived)
Swam the river from Bridle Stairway (Goat Island) to the Horseshoe Falls.
1859 – The Great Blondin (Jean François Gravelot)
(Survived)
Legendary tightrope walker. Crossed Niagara Gorge multiple times—blindfolded, on stilts, with a wheelbarrow, and once carrying his manager on his back.
1859 – Seth Ford
(Survived)
Swam across the river north of American Falls.
1860 – William Leonard Hunt (The Great Farini)
(Survived)
Blondin’s rival. Walked the rope with a washerwoman on his back, performed headstands, and lowered himself from the rope to the Maid of the Mist.
1861 – Captain Joel Robinson
(Survived)
Navigated the Maid of the Mist through the Whirlpool Rapids to deliver it to Lake Ontario. Retired after this terrifying feat.
1865 – Harry Leslie (“The American Blondin”)
(Survived)
Tightrope walk over Whirlpool Rapids.
1869 – Andrew “Professor” Jenkins (“The Canadian Blondin”)
(Survived)
Crossed Niagara Gorge on a velocipede (a bicycle-like device) on a rope. Wore white tights and moccasins.
1873 – Henry Bellini
(Survived)
Tightrope walk + leap into river. Jumped from the Upper Suspension Bridge in 1886, sustaining serious injuries. Died in London in 1888.
1878 – Captain J.D. Rhodes
(Survived)
Jumped into the river from a 90-foot platform.
1876 – Maria Spelterini
(Survived)
Only woman to cross the gorge by tightrope. Did it blindfolded, in shackles, and with buckets on her feet.
1881 – David McDowell
(Survived)
Drunkenly walked across the Upper Suspension Bridge railing.
1882 – Frank M. Brown
(Survived)
Swam across from the foot of the American Falls to Canada in under 5 minutes.
1883 – Captain Matthew Webb
(Died)
English Channel swimmer drowned attempting to swim Whirlpool Rapids.
1886 – Carlisle Graham
(Survived)
First barrel rider through the rapids. Made multiple trips, sustained hearing damage, and later became part of more fatal stunts.
1886 – George Potts & William Hazlett
(Survived)
Went through rapids in Graham’s barrel.
1886 – James Scott
(Died)
Drowned trying to retrieve Graham’s barrel for $10.
1886 – William Kendall
(Survived)
Swam through rapids with a life preserver.
1886 – Lawrence Donovan
(Survived)
Jumped into the river from the Upper Suspension Bridge.
1886–87 – Alphonse “Professor” King
(Survived)
Walked on the river in “Golden Fish” tin shoes. Also used a “water bicycle” to cross below the falls.
1887 – Clifford Calverly
(Survived)
Tightrope walker. Set speed records, did acrobatics, used wheelbarrow.
1887 – D.H. MacDonald
(Survived)
Used Calverly’s equipment to make his own tightrope crossing.
1887 – Charles Cromwell
(Survived)
Son of circus performers. Made two tightrope crossings but gained little attention.
1887 – Samuel J. Dixon
(Survived)
Tightrope crossed using gas-pipe pole. Lay, stood, and dangled from the rope mid-crossing.
1887 – Charles A. Percy
(Survived)
Navigated rapids in a boat; later made it to Lewiston but fell out.
1887 – Robert Flack
(Died)
Drowned in Whirlpool trying to copy Percy using a flawed buoyant system.
1887 – Stephen Peer
(Died)
Famous tightrope walker found dead after a night crossing attempt while intoxicated.
1888 – Walter G. Campbell
(Survived)
Nineteen-year-old boater went through rapids with his dog. Dog died, Campbell survived.
1890 – I.H. Ashley
(Survived)
Lowered himself from the Suspension Bridge into a boat below.
1890 – James E. Hardy
(Survived)
Made 16 tightrope crossings at age 21—youngest to ever do it.
1890 – Oliver Hilton
(Survived)
Claimed to have crossed on Hardy’s rope at age 10, in stockings. Unverified.
1900–01 – Peter “Bowser” Nissen
(Survived)
Invented and rode specialized boats through the rapids. Became stuck in the Whirlpool multiple times.
1901 – Captain Billy Johnson
(Survived)
Jumped into the river from Maid of the Mist just below Horseshoe Falls and swam downstream.
1901 – Joe Chambers
(Survived)
Swam Devil’s Hole Rapids (Lower Rapids) safely to Lewiston.
1901 – Martha Wagenfurher
(Survived)
Navigated the rapids in a barrel; stuck in Whirlpool for hours. Seasick but survived.
1901 – Maud Willard
(Died)
Rode Graham’s barrel with a dog. Died from suffocation after the dog blocked the air hole.
1901 – Annie Edson Taylor
(Survived)
First person to go over Horseshoe Falls in a barrel and live. She was 63 years old. Injured but survived. Died in poverty.
1910–11 – Bobby Leach
(Survived)
Circus stuntman. Went over the Falls in a steel drum. Broke jaw and kneecaps. Later died in New Zealand—slipped on an orange peel.
1910–11 – Oscar Williams (“The Great Houdin”)
(Survived)
Attempted to cross suspended from a wire by his teeth. Stranded twice. Rescued both times.
1910–11 – Captain Klaus Larsen
(Survived)
Navigated Whirlpool Rapids in a boat. Swamped later near Queenston but survived.
1911 – Lincoln Beachy
(Survived)
First to fly a plane under Niagara bridge and above the falls. Later died in an airshow.
1911 – Peter Langaard
(Survived)
Navigated Whirlpool in a motorboat. Lost propeller, stranded 4 hours.
1920 – Charles Stephens
(Died)
Strapped an anvil to his feet for a barrel ride over Horseshoe Falls. Anvil burst through the barrel. Only his arm was recovered.
1927 – Vincent Taylor
(Survived)
Australian daredevil. Jumped with a parachute from the Upper Steel Arch Bridge.
🎈 1928 – Jean Lussier (Survived)
First to go over Horseshoe Falls in an inflated rubber ball, not a barrel.
Used a 6-ft rubber sphere with steel framing and oxygen for 40 hours; plunged on July 4th. Three inner tubes burst but Lussier was only bruised.
Attempted a giant 12-ft ball in 1952 for American Falls but never executed.
Died in the 1950s in Niagara Falls, NY.
🕳️ 1930 – George L. Strathakis (Died)
Greek mystic and chef who overflowed a 2,000‑lb wooden/steel barrel over Horseshoe Falls on July 5.
Barrel got caught; he suffocated after 22 hours. His pet turtle survived.
🛢️ 1930 – William “Red” Hill Sr. (Survived)
Local river man; on May 30 navigated rapids & whirlpool in steel barrel.
Barrel stuck 1¾ hrs in whirlpool but he escaped; minor injuries.
Repeated the feat in 1931 to rescue the Strathakis barrel with help from Red Jr.
Renowned rescuer and ice‑bridge survivor; died 1942.
💀 1945 – William “Red” Hill Jr. (Died)
Following Dad’s tradition, rode barrel through rapids twice (1945, 1948).
1948 attempt in heavy barrel; rescued after 1½ hr whirlpool; financially ruined.
1951 went over Horseshoe Falls in “The Thing” (canvas/inner tubes); barrel disintegrated—he died.
His death ended daredevil stunts on Niagara Parks land.
🛢️ 1949–1956 – Major Lloyd Hill (Survived)
Red Sr.’s son.
In 1949, 1950, 1954, and 1956 navigated rapids/whirlpool multiple times in barrels up to 650 lb.
Rescued each time; later lost a leg parachuting and was murdered in 1974.
🏊 1954 – Ted Mercier, Joseph Hawryluk & Scott Graham (Survived)
Teenagers swam across the river near Horseshoe Falls; uncharged.
🏊 1957 – Claus R. Kirkoff (Survived)
German swim instructor who swam through Lower Rapids to re-enter the U.S.; arrested.
🌊 1960 – Roger Woodward (Survived)
**First person swept over Horseshoe Falls without a vessel, aged 7.
Sister Deanne survived; adult companion died.
Rescued by Maid of the Mist; minor injuries—remarkable and unintentional survival.
🌀 1961 – Nathan T. Boya (aka William Fitzgerald) (Survived)
From Bronx; traveled horseshoe in “Plunge-O-Sphere” — 6-ft steel-rubber sphere with air supply.
Inspired by Jean Lussier; launched July 15; survived with minor damage.
Fined and later became a sociologist/medical-behavior doctor.
🛶 1961 – Raymond Weaver (Survived)
Rode a heavy boat through rapids; stranded 4 hours; completed 7-hr trip.
🏊 1964 – Karl Heinz Koch (Survived)
German swim instructor arrested after swimming near American Falls.
🛞 1969 – Bruce Curtis & Ronald Hess (Survived)
Rode a tractor inner tube down Lower Rapids; made it safely.
✈️ 1971 – John Kazian (Survived)
Stood on wing of stunt plane flown over the Falls by Joe Hughes.🚣
1972 – Niagara White Water Raft Co. (Commercial)
First run through Whirlpool in a raft on May 23–25; soon discontinued after accidents.
🎪 1974–1976 – Henri Julien Rechatin (Survived)
French tightrope artist known for balancing feats:
• 1974: Attempted wire acts across gorge (refused).
• 1975: Chair balance off Skylon Tower & motorcycle-wire crossing near Whirlpool.
• 1976: 15‑day wire-hanging show in Clifton Hill.
Died in 2013 at age 82.
🛶 1974 – Philippe Petit
Circus high-wire star; reenacted Blondin walk for an IMAX film in 1986 (not daredevil attempt).
🛟 1974 – Edward A. Friedland (Survived)
Rode rubber dinghy into Whirlpool Rapids; became stranded; rescued by helicopter.
🌊 1975 – Jim Sarten (Survived)
Stuntman for Playboy Productions; rode raft through whirlpool for TV shoot; nearly drowned.
🛶 1975 – Niagara Gorge River Trips Inc. (3 Died)
Zodiac raft capsized during trial run; 3 drowned, dozens survived.
❓ 1975 – “Mr. X” (James Randi) (Survived)
Dangled in straightjacket over Horseshoe Falls from crane for TV segment (with permission).
🛶 1977 & 1981 – Kenneth W. Lagergren (Survived)
1977: Kayaked whirlpool rapids; arrested.
1981: With team, paddled whirlpool for ABC’s American Sportsman; survived.
🛢️ 1977 & 1984 – Karel Soucek (Survived)
1977: Barrel through rapids; arrested.
1984: Rode homemade barrel over Horseshoe Falls; 8th alive; fined $500.
Died in 1985 during Astrodome barrel stunt.
🛞 1984 & 1995 – Steven Trotter (Survived)
1984: First attempt failed.
1985: Successfully over falls in twin barrels.
1995: Returned with Lori Martin in a kelvar barrel; both survived; 2nd couple to do so.
🎪 1986 – Philippe Petit (Not stunt)
Walked wire for film crew; not a shrug stunt.
🛢️ 1985–1993 – John David “Dave” Munday (Survived)
Multiple daredevil attempts:
• 1985: Two runs; one thwarted by water levels and one succeeding.
• 1987: Rapids run.
• 1990: Another try blocked.
• 1993: Survived second plunge over Falls in a dive-bell capsule.
Became the first male to survive Falls twice; later lived quietly after stroke.
🛢️ 1989 – Peter DeBernardi & Jeffrey Petkovich (Survived)
First duo in one barrel over Horseshoe Falls (Sept. 28); both uninjured.
💀 1990 – Jessie W. Sharp (Died)
Attempted kayak plunge over Falls; never recovered.
💀 1995 – Robert Overacker (Died)
Rode jet ski and deployed parachute over Falls. Parachute failed and he fell to his death.
👤 2003 & 2017 – Kirk Raymond Jones
2003: First person to survive Falls without vessel (no float, no barrel). Claimed suicidal intent or stunt; fined & later toured with circus.
2017: Returned with inflatable ball and live boa constrictor; ball plunged unmanned; Jones died.
💔
2009 – “Mr. X”
Attempted suicide plunge above Falls (late winter); survived hypothermia/head injury; resisted rescuers.
💔
2012 – “Mr. Z” (Survived)
May 21 jumped off above Horseshoe Falls in failed suicide attempt; rescued seriously injured.
🤸♀️ 2012 – Nik Wallenda (Survived)
First to walk tightrope across Niagara Gorge at Falls (June 15); tethered for broadcast safety; massive televised event.
🤸♀️ 2020 – Erendira Wallenda (Survived)
Aerial hoop performance above the Falls from a helicopter—dangles by teeth; official stunt with safety gear.
Carlisle Graham
William Kendall
Sam Patch
Maud Willard
