Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
When you say the word “daredevil,” what image springs to mind? After you picture the Marvel guy in the red suit, we mean. It’s probably a man, maybe in his 30s, dressed in a dazzling, sparkly leather outfit, wearing a crash test helmet on his head and flashing a pair of gleaming, crazy eyes, howling like a madman as he charges into a death-defying stunt at a hundred miles per hour.
That’s a fair assessment, we would say. After all, a daredevil is a showman looking to garner as much attention as possible, because more eyeballs on his antics means more money and fame. But what if we told you that the daredevil we have in mind for today was none of those things? In fact, she was a quiet, matronly widow in her 60s named Annie Edson Taylor.
She might not have looked the part, but make no mistake about it. Taylor’s daredevil credentials are as solid as it gets, and many others have risked (and sacrificed) life and limb in order to replicate her infamous feat - going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
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Further Reading:
archive.org/details/overfallsannieed00tayluoft/page/8/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/32/mode/2up?view=theater
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/34/mode/2up?view=theater
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/36/mode/2up?view=theater
archive.org/details/overfallsannieed00tayluoft/page/12/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
history.com/this-day-in-history/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls
wbfo.org/heritage-moments/2018-10-22/heritage-moments-annie-edson-taylor-falls-daredevil-and-a-widows-hard-choices
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
web.archive.org/web/20111018120342/http://nyfalls.com/niagara/niagara-falls-faq4.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/46/mode/2up?view=theater
wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/06/12/niagara-falls-barrel
americacomesalive.com/annie-edson-taylor-1838-1921-american-daredevil
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/54/mode/2up?view=theater
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/92/mode/2up?view=theater
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
Annie Edson Taylor - Over the Falls
Dr. Charles Carlin Parish - Queen of the Mist
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
wbfo.org/heritage-moments/2018-10-22/heritage-moments-annie-edson-taylor-falls-daredevil-and-a-widows-hard-choices
wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/06/12/niagara-falls-barrel
history.com/this-day-in-history/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
americacomesalive.com/annie-edson-taylor-1838-1921-american-daredevil
When you say the word “daredevil,” what image springs to mind? After you picture the Marvel guy in the red suit, we mean. It’s probably a man, maybe in his 30s, dressed in a dazzling, sparkly leather outfit, wearing a crash test helmet on his head and flashing a pair of gleaming, crazy eyes, howling like a madman as he charges into a death-defying stunt at a hundred miles per hour.
That’s a fair assessment, we would say. After all, a daredevil is a showman looking to garner as much attention as possible, because more eyeballs on his antics means more money and fame. But what if we told you that the daredevil we have in mind for today was none of those things? In fact, she was a quiet, matronly widow in her 60s named Annie Edson Taylor.
She might not have looked the part, but make no mistake about it. Taylor’s daredevil credentials are as solid as it gets, and many others have risked (and sacrificed) life and limb in order to replicate her infamous feat - going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
→ Subscribe for new videos at least twice a week!
youtube.com/c/biographics?sub_confirmation=1
Love content? Check out our other YouTube Channels:
Geographics: youtube.com/channel/UCHKRfxkMTqiiv4pF99qGKIw
TopTenz: youtube.com/user/toptenznet
Like Video Essays and Podcasts about Storytelling?
Check out Eric Malikyte's channel, Storyrant:
youtube.com/@UC6Sk2h2WsYMxnGERAH_FbGg
Eric's Books:
https://linktr.ee/EricMalikyte
Eric's Socials:
Facebook: facebook.com/ericmalikyte
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ericmalikyte.bsky.social
Twitter: twitter.com/EricMalikyte
Karl's Socials:
Fact Fiend: youtube.com @FactFiend
Wiki Weekends: youtube.com @wikiweekends
Untitled Side Channel: youtube.com @untitledsidechannel
Twitter: twitter.com/KarlSmallwood
Further Reading:
archive.org/details/overfallsannieed00tayluoft/page/8/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/32/mode/2up?view=theater
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/34/mode/2up?view=theater
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/36/mode/2up?view=theater
archive.org/details/overfallsannieed00tayluoft/page/12/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
history.com/this-day-in-history/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls
wbfo.org/heritage-moments/2018-10-22/heritage-moments-annie-edson-taylor-falls-daredevil-and-a-widows-hard-choices
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
web.archive.org/web/20111018120342/http://nyfalls.com/niagara/niagara-falls-faq4.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/46/mode/2up?view=theater
wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/06/12/niagara-falls-barrel
americacomesalive.com/annie-edson-taylor-1838-1921-american-daredevil
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/54/mode/2up?view=theater
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
archive.org/details/queenofmiststory0000pari/page/92/mode/2up?view=theater
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
Annie Edson Taylor - Over the Falls
Dr. Charles Carlin Parish - Queen of the Mist
web.archive.org/web/20161025032751/http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/people/fp-taylor-annie.html
newyorkalmanack.com/2023/07/annie-edson-taylor-niagara-falls
wbfo.org/heritage-moments/2018-10-22/heritage-moments-annie-edson-taylor-falls-daredevil-and-a-widows-hard-choices
wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/06/12/niagara-falls-barrel
history.com/this-day-in-history/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls
nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
americacomesalive.com/annie-edson-taylor-1838-1921-american-daredevil
