Maritime Madams: Annie Edson Taylor

Annie Edson Taylor (unknown –1921) was an American schoolteacher best known as the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. 

For Further Reading:

• Overlooked No More: Annie Edson Taylor, Who Tumbled Down Niagara Falls Into Fame - The New York Times’
• Annie Taylor: First Over Niagara Falls in a Barrel

This month, we’re talking about Maritime Madams. Whether through scientific study, aquatic exploration, or legendary prowess, they harnessed the power of the bodies of waters that cover our earth. 

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello. For Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this
is Wamanica. This month we're talking about maritime Madams. Whether
through scientific study, aquatic exploration, or legendary prowess, these women
harness the power of the bodies of water that cover
our earth. Today's story takes us to one of North
America's most iconic natural wonders, Niagara Falls. But we're not

(00:26):
getting there by way of a boat. No, this story
takes us downstream in a barrel. It was a foggy
October morning on the Canadian side of Horseshoe Falls in
nineteen oh one. Onlookers and reporters stood nervously at the
water's edge, bracing themselves for the outcome of an epic stunt.

(00:47):
At the center of their gaze a custom made wooden
barrel boasting the words Queen of the Mist, and beside
it the self proclaimed Queen, a roughly sixty three year
old school teacher who was risking her life for fear
and fortune. With the help of two attendants, she climbed
into the barrel, used a bicycle pump to pressurize the vessel,
and sealed the lid tight. Then the barrel was sent

(01:10):
into the current, bobbing its way towards the violent and
plummeting drop of Niagara Falls. Please meet the daredevil in
the Barrel, Annie Edson Taylor. Much of Annie's life is
shrouded in mystery, making the barrel stunt the short and
shocking breath of clarity in an otherwise unknown lifetime. We

(01:33):
do know that Annie was born in Auburn, New York,
likely in the late eighteen thirties. She lost her father
when she was still a child, but a generous inheritance
left her living comfortably At first. Reports from the time
claimed she was widowed at a young age. Afterwards, she
said to have traveled from state to state looking for

(01:53):
somewhere to plant roots and secure lasting wealth. But Annie
struggled to find her footing. By nineteen oh one, she
was scraping the bottom of the barrel well financially. She
had ended up in Bay City, Michigan, where she found
work as a school teacher. In a bid to secure
her future, she came up with a bold idea become

(02:14):
the first person to conquer Niagara Falls by barrel. It
wasn't as random as it might sound. In the late
eighteen hundreds, Niagara Falls became a booming tourist destination. Local
hotel owners often staged daring stunts to attract crowds to
the area. Annie fixated on the opportunity, and she seized it.

(02:39):
She funneled the last of her pennies into this project,
feeling confident that the stunt would bring her a lifetime
of wealth if she survived. That is, After designing the
perfect barrel herself, Annie hired a company to construct the keg.
It was to be four and a half feet high,
made of white oak. The inside was padded for protection

(02:59):
and housed two metal handholds. Annie even hired a promoter
to stir commotion and ensure a lively buzz around the stunt,
and a commotion there certainly was. On the faded day,
Everyone held their breath as they watched the barrel get
swept away into the rushing waters of Niagara Falls. Cramped
into the confines of a tiny vessel, Annie plunged nearly

(03:22):
one hundred and sixty feet, praying that the promise of
a famed future would cushion the fall. To everyone's surprise,
Annie survived, making her the first person to travel Niagara Falls.
By Beryl though jostled by this traumatic experience, She sustained
just one small gash on her forehead, but that didn't matter.

(03:45):
She'd achieved her goal and lived to tell the tale.
For a moment, she basked in the fleeting limelight that
had fueled her mission. Newspapers ran her story. She published
a souvenir memoir in nineteen oh two called Over the Falls,
which she sa sold for ten cents a pop at
a nearby tourist stand. But as it often goes, people

(04:06):
lost interest in her story. Her fame dried up quickly,
and her book sales came to a halt. Her stunt
was nothing short of a flash. The rest of her
life faded into obscurity. Annie Edson Taylor set out to
defy the odds and claim her way to wealth with grit, desperation,
and a barrel, and she plummeted from great heights to

(04:26):
get there. But in nineteen twenty one she died in poverty,
remembered by few for the outlandish stunt in the turbulent
waters of Niagara Falls. All month, We're talking about maritime Madams.
For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at

(04:46):
Wamanica Podcast special Thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister
and co creator. Talk to you tomorrow.