Bringing along her lucky heart-shaped pillow, Taylor got in a boat with her crew. They had tied the barrel behind the boat. Around a mile before the Falls, Taylor and her team pulled off so Taylor could get into the barrel. However, before she did, she took off her heavier clothes. Her crew then fastened Taylor in with the straps, screwed the top shut, and compressed air into the barrel with a bicycle pump. They plugged the air holes with corks and brought Taylor to the middle of the river, where the barrel was cut loose at 4:00 p.m.
The crowd carefully watched the barrel go up and down in the water before it disappeared into the mist and fell over 150 feet. After a few minutes, the crowd saw the barrel as it continued to float until it stopped on top of a rock. The trip itself took a little under twenty minutes. However, the rescuers had to see the top off to get Taylor out, which took a little longer. To everyone’s relief, she was able to walk, talk, and only had a small gash on her head. It is reported that she told people, “I would sooner walk up the mouth of a cannon, knowing it was going to blow me to pieces than make another trip over the fall.”
While Taylor received the fame she wanted, she did not receive the fortune. One reason for this could be because her manager ran away with the barrel not long after her stunt. Taylor put most of her money towards hiring private investigators to find the barrel, which was never recovered. Taylor continued to make very little money through her souvenir shops and speaking engagements. Taylor died penniless on April 21, 1921, at the Niagara County Infirmary. Thanks to her friends and fans, enough money was raised to give Annie Edson Taylor a proper burial in the “Stunters Rest” section at the Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York.
Popular Culture
Like many daredevils, Annie Edson Taylor’s story began to fade in history. However, like so many before her, Taylor’s story has bounced back just as quickly as she fell over the falls. In 1999, Beacon Press published a poem by Joanne Murray titled “Queen of the Mist.” Taylor’s Journey was also written as a short story by author Emma Donoghue. Taylor has also been featured in two children’s books over the last few years.
Along with Taylor’s many mentions in writing, she has been portrayed in multiple film productions. TV show Mysteries at the Museum spotlights Taylor’s story in their episode, “Niagara Falls Daredevil, Accidental Nuclear Bomb, Railroad Heroine.” She also made an appearance in the IMAX film, Niagara: Miracles, Myths, and Magic. Another television show called Wonderfalls was inspired by Taylor’s story when they created their episode called, “Barrel Bear.” Of course, there are only a few of the many shows which feature Taylor’s story.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Annie Edson Taylor.” Info Niagara.
“Annie Edson Taylor.” Wikipedia.
“Annie Edson Taylor (1838-1921): American Daredevil.” Kate Kelly, America Comes Alive.
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