Niagara Falls Shipwreck: All About the Niagara Scow

Did you know Niagara Falls has its very own shipwreck?

What would you do if the boat you were on broke free from it’s lifeline and you were sent careening down towards the edge of Niagara Falls?

If you’ve ever walked beyond where Niagara Falls plunges over the edge and have seen an old shipwreck laying a few hundred metres from the brink of Horseshoe Falls, you’ve probably wondered what that is. It’s unofficial name is the Niagara Scow, the Old Scow, or the Iron Scow.  

This boat sitting above Niagara Falls has been here since 1918! Surprisingly, it hasn’t moved a whole lot in its 100+ years of sitting along the Niagara River (until recently), but it certainly has an interesting history with a daring rescue story.

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What is the Niagara Scow?   

The Niagara Scow is a flat-bottomed dumping barge that belonged to the Great Lakes Dredge and Docks Company. Being flat-bottomed gave the scow an advantage of navigating the shallow waters of the Niagara River.

Scows were common in the 1800s and the early 1900s in the Great Lakes  and were predominantly used to carry cargo.

In this case, the Old Scow was used to dredge up sand banks along the Niagara River at the entrance of the Niagara Falls Power Co. hydraulic canal.

Photo: Diego Torres Silvestre

What happened to the Niagara Scow?

Way back on August 6, 1918, around 3:00 pm, the Old Scow was being towed by a tugboat which hit a sandbar and ran aground.

The rope towing the dumping scow broke loose roughly 1.6 km from the brink of the Horseshoe Falls with two men on board – can you imagine the panic, not only from the perspective of being on board, but as a bystander!? 

Moments after breaking free, the iron scow drifted down the Niagara River and was headed straight for the falls.

Gustav F. Lofberg and James H. Harris released their anchors which held for a short time, but they thankfully thought quickly to open their dumping doors at the bottom of their scow to flood the compartment. This slowed the scow down until the hull flooded and became grounded on rocks in the shallow rapids of the river, just 600 metres from the edge of the falls.

But now what?

These men were stuck in the upper rapids – 600 metres from the brink of the falls and 200 metres from the shoreline.

You can see just how close the Scow is to the brink of the falls!

The Iron Scow Rescue

The location of the scow made it difficult for rescue operations.  No boat would be able to venture out to save it.

How were they rescued, then?

A line was shot out with a grappling gun from the roof of the Toronto Power Generating Station to create a breeches buoy, which is essentially a canvas sling suspended from a pulley.

By the time the first line was shot out at 3:00 am, the breeches buoy became tangled part way out and suddenly stopped.

It was the valiant effort of William “Red” Hill Sr – a recently returned WW1 veteran – who offered to go out and untangle the lines, not once, but twice. With spotlights shining his path, a wrong move would’ve meant certain catastrophe. 

Photo: Wikimaker2018

Red Hill Sr climbed out over the line and clung to the lines by his legs in an attempt to untangle it. His first attempt was unsuccessful and called off until the light of day. He went out again at 8:30 am and was able to untangle the ropes.

If it weren’t for his willingness to rectify the situation, it may not have been such a happy ending.

He’s since become a recognized hero of Niagara Falls and continued to perform a series of rescues along the Niagara River for the rest of his life, and saved a total of 28 lives and recovered 177 bodies just below Niagara Falls.

Both men were pulled to safety by 10 am.

Thankfully, with the joint efforts of the Niagara Parks Police, Niagara Falls Fire and Police Departments, hydroelectric workers, Red Hill Sr, and U.S. Coast Guards, Gustav and James were successfully rescued – but it took almost 19 hours.

That is one boat ride I would pass on. 😨

Where is the Niagara Scow?

Since salvaging the Scow was out of the question, the location of the Niagara Scow has more or less been the same for 100 years. It’s been stuck in the shallows of the Niagara River, just 200 meters from shore, and close to the edge of the Horseshoe Falls.

Niagara Falls Public Library, Record ID 250664

How big is the Niagara Scow?

The Iron Scow is 80 feet long and 30 feet wide (it’s about the length of two full-size school busses). Not exactly a size I would be comfortable on while teetering on the Niagara River!

Is the Niagara Scow moving?

For over 100 years, the Niagara Scow, while deteriorating, had been in the same location. However, on Halloween night in 2019, a storm came through which created strong winds that caused water levels to reach record highs.

This resulted in high water flow into the Niagara River that shifted the Iron Scow off its rocky perch.

Thankfully, we have some awesome drone shots of the Old Scow before and after the storm, for comparison.

Update April 2022: The scow has recently broken into several pieces. It is still clinging to the rocks, for now!

The Niagara Scow before (right) and after (left).
Photo: Wikimaker2018

How far did the Iron Scow move?

The storm caused the barge to flip on its side and spin around, while drifting 50 meters down the river, edging closer to the Horseshoe Falls.

If you compare the Niagara Scow before and after it’s shift, it’s surprising it was able to stay in one piece.

This video from Niagara Parks shows the difference of the Scow before and after the storm.

Will the Niagara Scow go over the falls?

The Scow has deteriorated severely in recent years. It is expected, at some point, that the Niagara Scow will break free from its rocky perch and descend over the falls (imagine the sight that’ll be!), or break apart into the river.

The future of the Scow remains unknown. What do you think will happen? Will it stay there for another 100 years?

Niagara Scow after the storm in October 2019.
Photo: Jeff Rasmussen

Where is the best view of the Niagara Scow?

The best view of the Iron Scow is from the Canadian side, although you can also see it from the American side of Niagara Falls, on Goat Island and the Three Sisters Island.

On the Canadian side, the best views are along the Niagara Parkway, on either side of the former Toronto Power Generating Station, but the closest you’ll get is on the east side of the building for unobstructed views of the shipwreck.

Old Toronto Power Generating Station. The grappling gun was fired from the roof.

After the centenary of the Niagara Scow rescue, signs were placed near the lookout points on the east side of the building for those wanting to learn more about that harrowing event.

The best part is – it’s free to view!

Niagara Scow in December 2020

Where do you park to see the Iron Scow?

Depending on the weather and what you feel like doing while visiting Niagara Falls, you can easily walk to the best viewing points of the Old Scow. 

On our most recent trip, we parked at the Floral Showhouse for $5/hour, which for Niagara Falls is reasonable. We avoid parking at the Table Rock Center because parking averages $30/day – far too much in my opinion.

On warmer days and if you want to get a full view of Niagara Falls, I would recommend starting from Clifton Hill and walking the length of the Niagara Parkway to see the Niagara Scow. It’s about a 30 minute walk one-way, but there is lots to see along the way and will make you appreciate the beauty of Niagara Falls.

If you start here, park a block or two back from Clifton Hill. There are various parking lots for a flat daily fee of just $5.

Niagara Scow on the Niagara River before the storm
Niagara Scow before the storm in 2019.
Photo: Bill Harris

Other free things to do in Niagara Falls

If you’re looking for other things to do in Niagara Falls, you may be surprised to learn there is plenty to do for free! 

From viewing a shipwreck in the Niagara River to strolling through beautiful gardens and visiting a Buddhist Temple, visiting Niagara Falls on a budget doesn’t have to be hard.

Be sure to make at stop at Queenston Heights, just 10 minutes from Niagara Falls, for scenic views and interesting pieces of history!

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23 Comments

  1. Rahma Khan
    January 27, 2021 / 10:42 pm

    Oh wow I had no idea about thiss!! This was such an interesting read! Thank you for sharing

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 28, 2021 / 6:43 am

      Thanks Rahma! A lot of people don’t know about this – but it’s pretty neat!

  2. January 27, 2021 / 10:46 pm

    Wow! I have visited Niagara Falls many times, and I had no idea about the shipwreck! Thanks for the info. I’ll be scouting this out next time I visit. Pinned for later!

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 28, 2021 / 6:46 am

      Cool, eh?? It’s pretty unique!

  3. January 28, 2021 / 12:52 am

    I had never heard about this until now! What a unique history and interesting sight. Hope to see it for myself one day 🙂

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 28, 2021 / 6:47 am

      It’s definitely something you should see when visiting the falls!

  4. January 28, 2021 / 11:17 am

    Wow! I was not familiar with this at all. Definitely got a little anxiety reading this but so happy the men were able to be rescued!

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 28, 2021 / 1:55 pm

      I know!!! I can’t even imagine the fear!!!!! It was quite an ordeal, but they lived to tell the tale!

  5. January 28, 2021 / 5:17 pm

    I had no idea! Such an interesting history. Amazing that the boat is still up there.

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 29, 2021 / 6:38 am

      I thought so too – a lot of people never see what’s further up the river. Who would’ve guessed that it would still be there?

  6. January 30, 2021 / 11:26 am

    I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the shipwreck any of the times I’ve visited Niagara Falls. Definitely need to take a trip there again!

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 30, 2021 / 3:56 pm

      If you didn’t know what it was, it’s quite a shock haha! I remember seeing it for the first time saying, “is that a ship!?” lol

  7. January 30, 2021 / 11:45 am

    Wow, what a fascinating story! I bet that was one hair-raising experience for those two men! Thank goodness they lived to tell the tale! Thanks so much for sharing the story, I’ve visited Niagara Falls but I had absolutely no idea the Iron Scow was there!

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 30, 2021 / 3:40 pm

      A lot of locals don’t even realize! It’s quite a story – I can’t imagine how that must’ve felt!!!

  8. January 30, 2021 / 6:21 pm

    I’ve been to both sides of the falls and I had no idea this was there! I will save this for my next visit.

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 31, 2021 / 7:52 am

      I’d love to get back to the US side and see it from that angle. I think with the state it’s in now, the Canadian side would provide a better viewing point 🙂

  9. January 31, 2021 / 12:02 am

    Well, this is certainly interesting! I grew up in Buffalo and visited Niagara Falls many, many times but this is the first I am hearing about the scow.

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 31, 2021 / 7:54 am

      A lot of locals don’t realize it’s there! I only recently discovered it myself haha! 🙂

  10. January 31, 2021 / 6:17 am

    I’ve been to Niagara Falls many times and this is the first time I’ve ever heard this story! How amazing!

    • Sarah
      Author
      January 31, 2021 / 7:57 am

      Now you’ll know to look for it next time! 😀

  11. February 1, 2021 / 1:15 pm

    I have been to Niagara Falls soooooo many times throughout my lifetime and have seen the scow numerous times, as well. I was not aware of the details of the history behind it. Very enlightening blog! Thanks

    • Sarah
      Author
      February 1, 2021 / 1:37 pm

      Thank you Ildiko! It’s always interesting learning some local history 🙂

  12. Muzz
    November 7, 2023 / 1:11 am

    I haven’t been to Niagara falls and I must admit it was not on my bucket list as I heard that it was too commercial. But after reading this I have changed my mind. Thanks for saving me from missing out on all that.

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