Besides standing alongside the amazing cataracts, visitors to Niagara Falls are often drawn to experience the view below the Falls by way of the Maid of the Mist boats. Each year many thousands of tourists queue up to don their brightly colored rain parkas and pack the decks of these amazing sightseeing boats. With the success of these tours today, it is hard to imagine that the Maid of the Mist boat had a “rocky” beginning.

According to the Illustrated History of Niagara County (1878), such was the case in 1861 when the steamer, Maid of the Mist (the second boat of that name) came upon hard financial times. Captain Baily was in charge of the boat that had been running a ferry service below the Falls between the U.S. and Canada. Baily had run aground of the law and the Sheriff was attempting to serve a lien against the Maid of the Mist. The Captain determined that his best hope was to attempt to outrun the long arm of the law and take the boat downriver to Lewiston. Such a trip would be, of course, at great hazard to life and boat, through the treacherous rapids of the Niagara Gorge. Advance word of this proposed passage spread like wildfire and the community was highly excited about watching a boat attempt to navigate through the Devils Hole.

Pilot duties were assigned to Joel Robinson, a ferryman from Niagara Falls, who captained the perilous trip. All went well until the boat entered the first great plunge at the rapids near the Suspension Bridge. At that point the mighty vessel began to bob and weave like a simple cork. The initial impact ripped the smoke stack from the deck, but amazingly, other than that, the total voyage was accomplished without serious damage to life, limb or property.

Douglas Farley, Director
Erie Canal Discover Center
24 Church St.
Lockport NY 14094
716.439.0431
CanalDiscovery@aol.com
www.NiagaraHistory.org