On September 8, 1827, staged as a tourist attraction, three Niagara hotel owners decorated the schooner Michigan as a pirate ship and sent it over Niagara Falls. On deck were human-like dummies costumed in three corner hats, swords, and eyepatches, as well as two bears, a couple of raccoons, and a dog and a goose. Ten thousand spectators gathered by the falls to watch the event.
The paddle steamer Chippewa towed the condemned ship to the rapids and pointed it toward the falls. The rapids tore open the hull and the ship began to fill with water. The two bears loose on the deck jumped free of the schooner and swam to safety on Goat Island. The other animals were caged or tied to the ship and died when the schooner went over the edge. Only the goose survived the plunge.
11 thoughts on “Over Niagara Falls in a Ship”
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Oh, I was so looking forward to meeting him.
So sad for Capt. McVay! Interesting details, Jim
Imagine possible chance to meet Adrian Marks was most disappointing to find he passed recently, living in Frankfort, too!
Thanks!
Thanks, Pat.
Thanks, Jim.
Thanks Paul
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That is a good story that I had not heard before. I like the costumed-dummies idea. Ties right in with Halloween. Two bits they ate the sole survivor, the goose. I would have. ~pfa
That is a good story that I had not heard before. I like the costumed dummies idea. Ties right in with Halloween. Two bits they ate the sole survivor, the goose. I would have. ~pfa
very interesting
Of course I had to read what happened in the end of this crazy stunt!
This reminds me of the story of how the sunken barge became fixed on the rocks above the falls. Since I have the use of only one hand to type now I’ll leave it to Jim to tell us about that story as well. Search out of the detail of that and let us know.