Oct. 24, 1901: First barrel ride over Niagara Falls

From Yahoo! Malaysia News: Niagara Falls had been a tourist destination for decades before 1901, but it wasn’t until Oct. 24 of that year that the first person decided to ride a barrel over the falls. Former schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor made the plunge on her 63rd birthday, hoping for fame and fortune. Taylor, whose…

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This week in Michigan history: Bay City teacher first person to survive Niagara barrel drop

From the Detroit Free Press: Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to survive a barrel ride over Niagara Falls on Oct. 24, 1901. The 63-year-old Bay City teacher used a self-designed barrel that was 4 1/2 feet high and approximately 3 feet in diameter, with a leather harness and cushions for protection, according to…

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Daredevil candy bars to benefit area nonprofits

From the Niagara Gazette: Nik Wallenda’s walk across Niagara Falls will be a lot sweeter for local nonprofits, thanks to a special line of candy bars being produced in celebration of the history-making event. Mary Ann Hess, owner of Niagara’s Honeymoon Sweets, is debuting new line of daredevil chocolate bars to benefit local organizations, including…

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Novel peers over the edge

From Niagara This Week: As a highly successful fantasy writer, Chris Van Allsburg knows first-hand that the only limitation on a great story is one’s imagination. But when it comes to dabbling in reality, the renowned children’s novelist and illustrator had to peer over the edge and simply hope for the best with his latest…

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Bay City woman’s story as the first to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel told in new book

From MLive.com: Annie Edson Taylor left her boarding house room in Bay City in October 1901 to take the ultimate bumpy ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The extraordinary achievement is told by East Grand Rapids-native Chris Van Allsburg, in his new book, “Queen of the Falls.” “I read about her in the early…

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