In 1918, The Iron Scow broke from its tug and landed on the rocks about 600 meters from Horseshoe Falls. Two men were on board when he was released, but were successfully rescued by emergency crews the next day. For 101 years, the boat remained motionless on the rocks and did not move, but in 2019, a strong Halloween storm pushed it 50 meters closer to the edge of the cliff. He remained in that position until this week when the boat moved again. In a video posted on Twitter this week, Jim Hill, senior director of Heritage of Niagara Parks, said the storm also appears to have broken the boat into three parts. Officials said the closer the Iron Scow was pushed to the brim.
The Iron Scow, the wreck of a century, approached Horseshoe Falls last weekend due to the weather. It last moved in 2019. The possibility of leaching over waterfalls is not considered a public safety concern. Learn more: pic.twitter.com/dPzqXOCJ9L – Niagara Parks (@NiagaraParks) April 5, 2022 “We are seeing a continuing deterioration of the score,” Hill said. “A large part of it is already gone.” As the boat gets closer to the edge of the waterfall, Niagara Parks says rinsing is not “considered a public safety concern.” Hill said he believes the boat will continue to wear out in pieces in the coming years. “The rope has lived for decades pounded by the river and the storms,” Hill said. “Maybe he’s coming to the end of his life out there.”
