Maid of the Mist
Niagara Falls, New York
The first Maid of the Mist, a side-wheel steamboat ferry with twin smokestacks commands the mighty Niagara.
Circa 1854-1860
The second Maid of the Mist, a single-stack paddle wheel steamer, 72 feet long with a 17-foot beam.
As early as 1834, small boats were the only way to transport people across the Niagara River. The Maid of the Mist I was launched on May 27, 1846. On July 14, 1854 the Maid of the Mist II was launched. The elegant, 70 foot long Maid of the Mist III was launched in June of 1885. The Maid of the Mist IV was launched in 1892 on the American side.
The first series of boats to bear the "Maid of the Mist" moniker were wooden-hulled ferries. These were in use until an early season fire destroyed the last of them at the Canadian docks on April 22, 1955.
On July 28, 1955 a new Maid of the Mist boat was launched to replace those boats destroyed by fire. The boat, christened "Maid of the Mist V" was built entirely of steel. In June of 1956, the sixth boat in the Maid of the Mist fleet was launched. In 1983, this boat was sold and today it continues service as a missionary ship on the Amazon River.
In 1990, the Maid of the Mist VI was launched into service. The all-steel double deck boat is capable of carrying 600 passengers at a time. On May 30, 1997 the first section of the new Maid of the Mist VII arrived on a flatbed trailer to the Maid of the Mist docks. The first piece of the hull weighed 27,730 pounds. Over the following weeks the remainder of the boat was delivered in 14 separate pieces including 8 addtional pieces. When assembled, the new Maid of the Mist was 80 feet long and weighed 145 tons. This Maid of the Mist was officially launched into service on July 11, 1997.
Its name is inspired by an Iroquois legend. The legend tells of a woman who, after the death of her love, throws herself into Niagara Falls, but is caught and saved by the God of Thunder. The Maid of the Mist boats have a long history of ferrying tourists close to the Falls for a unique up-close-and personal experience.
The Maid of the Mist starts and ends on the American side crossing briefly into Canada during a portion of the trip. James V. Glynn is chairman and chief executive officer of Maid of the Mist Corp. He joined Maid of the Mist in 1950 as a ticket setter working on the dock at the age of 16 to pay for college. Glynn purchased the company in 1971. Steam-powered boats were replaced by diesel-powered craft in 1955. All were named Maid of the Mist until 2020, when company president Christopher M. Glynn introduced two new boats powered by lithium-ion battery-powered electric motors. James V. Glynn truly fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming president of the Maid of the Mist Corporation.
In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt felt the mist on his face.
Notable passengers have been Marilyn Monroe in June 1952 when she rode the Maid of the Mist while in Niagara Falls to film the movie, Niagara.
In 1949, Jawaharial Nehru prime minister of India rode the Maid of the Mist. In 1987, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson enjoyed a ride aboard the Maid of the Mist. In 1983, Mikhail Gorbachev was a passenger on the Maid of the Mist. In 1991, Prince Charles and Princess Diana along with their two sons, William and Harry rode the Maid of the Mist.
A moment frozen in time of Princess Diana, the People's Princess.
In 1996, President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn were passengers, escorted by James V. Glynn. In 2022, the Maid of the Mist was featured in the motion picture A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks.
In 1901, Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to survive a barrel ride over the Falls.
The Maid of the Mist is waiting for you to come aboard!
Niagara Falls is a breathtaking sight offering stunning views and certainly a sense of awe.
This summer take a ride on The Maid of the Mist and visit the Erie Canal's 200th celebration!
.. or dinner with a spectacular view ..
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