Over the Falls in a Barrel

From American Heritage:

A hundred and five years ago today, Annie Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was 63 years old, a widow, and a failed dancing school teacher—an unlikely candidate for such an exploit. But she survived, and her name goes down in history as not only the first survivor but the only woman ever to try barreling over the falls alone.

This is a great article that has some interesting history on Annie Taylor. You should definitely check it out!