- Sam Patch
Sam Patch (1807 - 1829), known as The Yankee Leaper, was the first famous U.S. daredevil. - Louis Tussaud
Louis Tussaud was the great-grandson of madame Marie Tussaud. He created a waxwork museum (similar to that of Madame Tussaud's) in Blackpool, Lancashire. There are also Louis Tussaud wax museums in Copenhagen, Denmark, Niagara Falls, Canada and San Antonio, Texas. Louis Tussaud's Waxworks Blackpool - Rob Nicholson
Robert Douglas (Rob) Nicholson, PC, QC, BA, LL.B, MP (born April 29, 1952 in Niagara Falls, Ontario), the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, is a Canadian politician. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Niagara Falls for the Conservative Party and the current Minister of Justice after serving for one year as Government House Leader. - Kim Craitor
Kim Craitor is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a current member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the constituency of Niagara Falls for the Ontario Liberal Party. Craitor worked in human resource development before entering politics. He was Executive Director of the Niagara Falls Employment Health Centre, and was a Human Relations Officer and Investigation and Control Officer at Human Resources Development Canada for twenty-six years. - Francine Delmonte
Francine DelMonte is a New York State Assemblywoman representing Niagara County. She was first elected in 2000 and has been reelected in 2002, 2004 and 2006. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She has been involved in the Niagara County political world for over 2 decades, serving as an aide and chief of staff to a former assemblyman from the region. She was defeated for the Assembly in 1998 and then came back to win the seat in 2000. - Louis Hennepin
Father Louis Hennepin, baptized Antoine was a Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Recollect order (French: "Récollets") and an explorer of the interior of North America. Hennepin was born in Ath, province of Hainaut, Belgium, but became French in 1659, when Béthune, the town where he lived, was captured by the army of Louis XIV of France. At the request of Louis XIV the Récollets sent four missionaries to New France in May 1675, … - Annie Edson Taylor
Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel on 24 October, 1901. A schoolteacher by trade (she had received a honors degree in a four-year training course), she spent most of her working years in between jobs and locales, her net worth having been wiped out due to various disasters twice. She also became a certified dancing instructor, although she found fewer students as she grew older. - Wisp
Wisp is the alias of electronic music artist Reid Dunn who hails from Niagara Falls, New York. Wisp began making music on his computer in 1999 and originally released his music for free as mp3s on Netlabels before being signed to Sublight Records. - Charles Blondin
Jean François Gravelet-Blondin, French tight-rope walker and acrobat, was born at St Omer, France. His real name was Jean-François Gravelet, and was known also by the names Charles Blondin or Jean-François Blondin, or more simply “The Great Blondin”. When five years old he was sent to the École de Gymnase at Lyon and, after six months training as an acrobat, made his first public appearance as "The Little Wonder". - Dee
Dee (born Martin Granger) is an electro-pop dance-rock Canadian singer, songwriter, disc jockey, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and remixer. Dee was born in Montreal and raised in Niagara Falls and Ottawa. He moved back to Montreal at the age of eighteen. In 1998, he became the leader of The Urbanauts; they released the album "Stereotonic" in 1999. The Urbanauts were nominated for Best Pop Artist at the Montreal Independent Music Awards (MIMI's), … - Antoine Thompson
Senator Antoine Maurice Thompson (born March 1, 1970) has been elected to represent the state's 60th Senate district which includes parts of the Cities of Buffalo and Tonawanda and the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Grand Island. Thompson previously served for six years as the Masten District councilman for the City of Buffalo. - Michael Daugherty
Michael Daugherty (born April 28, 1954 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is an American composer. He comes from a musical family; his father was a dance-band drummer and his four younger brothers are professional musicians. Daugherty's music is characterized by an interest in American popular culture. He has composed works based on Superman ("Metropolis Symphony", 1988-1993, and "Bizarro", 1993), Elvis Presley ("Elvis Everywhere" and "Dead Elvis"), … - Bobby Leach
Bobby Leach (1858 in Cornwall, England-1925) was the second person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, accomplishing the feat on July 25, 1911. He spent six months in the hospital recovering from injuries he sustained during the fall. Leach later died on a publicity tour in New Zealand from injuries sustained after slipping on an orange peel in the street. - Gary Pillitteri
Gary Orazio Vincenzo Pillitteri (born 1 March 1936 in Racalmuto, Italy) was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2004. By career, he was a farmer and businessman. Pillitteri is a member of the Liberal party who first bid for the Niagara Falls electoral district in 1988. He lost to Conservative candidate Rob Nicholson in that election. After a second attempt in the 1993 general election, … - Roger Woodward
Roger Woodward (born in 1953) became famous at the age of seven (7) when he survived a plunge over the Niagara Falls. On July 9 1960, he and his sister, seventeen-year-old Deanne Woodward, were taken on a boat ride in the upper Niagara River by a local man named Jim Honeycutt. The boat's motor failed and it capsized, sending its passengers into the water rapidly approaching the cataract. Honeycutt was swept over the Falls and died. His body was found four days later. - Bart Maves
Bart Maves (born October 30, 1964 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003. Before running for office himself, Maves worked as a legislative assistant to federal MP Ken Atkinson, who represented St. Catharines from 1988 to 1993. He also worked as a planning secretariat for Alberta Education. - Joe Hueglin
Joseph Fred Hueglin (born February 7, 1937) is a former Canadian Member of Parliament and a founder of the Progressive Canadian Party. Born in Stratford, Ontario, Hueglin was elected to Parliament in 1972 in the riding of Niagara Falls as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC). In 1974 Hueglin was defeated by the Liberal candidate. - Thomas Clark
Thomas Clark (Unknown - October 6 1835) was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada. He was born in Scotland and came to Upper Canada in 1791 to seek employment with his cousin, Robert Hamilton. In 1796, he opened a store in Queenston. He then formed a partnership with Samuel Street to transport goods around Niagara Falls. He owned docks and storage facilities at Queenston, Chippawa and Fort Erie. - Steve Trotter
Steve Trotter (born 1963 in Barrington, Rhode Island) is a daredevil who has twice gone over Niagara Falls in a barrel, and performed other illegal stunts. In August 1985, Trotter became the youngest person ever (age 22) and the first American in 25 years to go over the Falls in a barrel. He used two pickle barrels placed end-to-end. The exterior was reinforced with layers of fiberglass, balsa wood for flotation, and covered with truck tire inner tubes for shock absorption. - William Hamilton Merritt
William Hamilton Merritt (3 July 1793 - 5 July 1862) was an influential figure in the Niagara Peninsula of Upper Canada in early 19th century and one of the fathers of the Welland Canal. Merritt was born in Bedford in Westchester County, New York on July 3 1793. His father, Thomas, fought as a United Empire Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War. After the revolution, the family resided in New Brunswick before returning to the U.S. In 1796, they moved to Upper Canada, … - Karel Soucek
Karel Soucek, born in Czechoslovakia, died January 20, 1985 in Houston, Texas, was a Canadian professional stuntperson. He lived in Hamilton, Ontario. On July 3, 1984, his bright, red, nine-foot custom-made barrel bearing the words, "The Last of Niagara's Daredevils" was rolled into the Niagara river 1000 feet above the cataract. In seconds, it was swept over the brink. Shortly after, Soucek emerged safe but bleeding. - Anna Olson
Anna Olson is a professionally trained pastry chef. Olson currently resides in the Niagara Falls region of Ontario. She is the host of Food Network Canada's "Sugar" and "Kitchen Equipped". - Zenon Konopka
Zenon Konopka (born January 1, 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada) is a professional ice hockey forward who currently is playing in the Columbus Blue Jackets system. Konopka was undrafted after his time with the Ottawa 67's and has made his way through the ECHL, AHL and finally saw some ice time in the NHL. In his rookie NHL season (2005-2006) Konopka played 23 games - scoring 4 goals and 3 asssists for a total of 7 points. - Hap Emms
Leighton "Hap" Emms (born January 16, 1905 in Barrie, Ontario - died October 23, 1988 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) was an ice hockey player, coach, owner, general manager and pioneer of the game. Emms was as controversial as he was successful during close to 60 years in hockey. He played in the NHL for the Montreal Maroons, New York Americans, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. After retiring from playing, he was the owner and coach of the Barrie Flyers from 1945 to 1960. - Marc Coppola
Marc Coppola represented the New York's 60th Senate district which includes parts of the Cities of Buffalo and Tonawanda and the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Grand Island. Coppola previously served for six years as the Delaware District Councilman for the City of Buffalo. From 2004 to 2006 he was the Majority Leader of the Common Council. Senator Coppola succeeded his cousin, Al Coppola, in the Council seat. - Augustus Porter
Augustus Porter along with his brother "Peter Porter" purchased the land near Niagara Falls, United States at a public auction in order to open a grist mill and tannery around 1805. Later, around 1847, the brothers attempted to interest investors to develop power from the water drop of the falls by developing a "hydraulic raceway" for both power and transportation. - Mike Glumac
Mike Glumac (April 5, 1980) in Niagara Falls, Ontario is a professional ice hockey player who currently plays right wing for the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues. He was undrafted, and signed his first contract with the St. Louis Blues on June 29, 2004. Prior to turning pro, Glumac played hockey at the Miami University in Ohio from 1998-2002. - Earl Brydges
Earl W. Brydges is a former Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate. He was a longtime political leader in Niagara County and New York. Brydges, an attorney in Niagara Falls, served on the Board of Education in Wilson, New York during the 1940s. He also was active in educational advocacy organizations in Western New York. He was first elected to the State Senate in 1948, representing all of Niagara County. - Jarrod Skalde
Jarrod Skalde (born February 26, 1971 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) is a retired a Canadian ice hockey forward. Skalde started his National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils in 1990. He would also play for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, and Philadelphia Flyers. He left the NHL after the 2002 season. - Pehr Kalm
Pehr Kalm (March 6 1716 - November 16 1779) (in Finland also known as Pietari Kalm and in some English-language translations as Peter Kalm) was a Swedish-Finnish explorer, botanist, naturalist, and agricultural economist. He was one of Carolus Linnaeus's most important students. Among his many accomplishments, Kalm can be credited for the first description of the Niagara Falls, written by someone trained as a scientist. - Great Farini
The Great Farini was born William Hunt. He invented the cinema flip-up seat and was the first white man to cross the Kalahari Desert and survive. He was also the first man to cross the gorge below Niagara Falls on a tightrope in a wheelbarrow. He was thought to be the first man to shoot a woman out of a cannon but this turned out to be a trick — he was actually the first man to shoot a man dressed as a woman out of a cannon. - John Vanderlyn
John Vanderlyn (October 18, 1776 - September 23, 1852) was a U.S. neoclassicist painter, was born at Kingston, New York. He was employed by a print-seller in New York, and was first instructed in art by Archibald Robinson (1765-1835), a Scotsman who was afterwards one of the directors of the American Academy. He went to Philadelphia, where he spent time in the studio of Gilbert Stuart and copied some of Stuart's portraits, including one of Aaron Burr, … - Judy Lamarsh
Julia Verlyn (Judy) LaMarsh, PC, OC (December 20, 1924 - October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, author and broadcaster. Of French and English descent, LaMarsh was born in Chatham, Ontario, and raised in Niagara Falls. Although she trained as a teacher, she never taught school. She enlisted in the Canadian Women's Army Corps, travelled the country from 1943 to 1946 and attained the rank of sergeant. - Charles Ellet Jr.
Charles Ellet, Jr. was a civil engineer and a colonel during the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Memphis. Ellet was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, brother of Alfred W. Ellet, also a civil engineer and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the war. Charles studied civil engineering at École Polytechnique in Paris, France, and in 1832 submitted proposals for a suspension bridge across the Potomac River.. In 1842, … - Thomas Vincent Welch
Thomas Vincent Welch (October 1 1850 - October 20 1903) was a New York State Assemblyman and served as the first Superintendent of the New York State Reservation at Niagara, holding the post for 18 years. As a member of the New York State Assembly, Welch was a key player in the efforts to acquire the lands adjoining Niagara Falls, and to make them free for all to view. When the bill making Niagara Falls free was signed on April 30 1885, … - Helen Dewitt
Helen DeWitt (born 1957 in Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.) is a novelist. DeWitt grew up primarily in South America (Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador), as her parents worked in the United States diplomatic service. After a year at Northfield Mount Hermon School and two short periods at Smith College, DeWitt studied classics at the University of Oxford, first at Lady Margaret Hall, and then at Brasenose College for her D.Phil. - Vince Kerrio
Vince George Kerrio (born February 5, 1924 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1975 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson. Kerrio's grandfather, also named Vincent, emigrated from Italy to Canada at the start of the twentieth century. Kerrio was educated at Niagara Falls College, and was the owner of the engineering business Kerrio Ltd. - Al Coppola
Al Coppola is a former state senator and politician in New York. A resident of Buffalo, New York, Coppola is a long time political figure in the city, who served briefly in the Senate at the turn of the century. A longtime member of the Buffalo Common Council, representing the city's Delaware District, Coppola was nominated by Democratic Party leaders in Erie and Niagara Counties in a February 2000 special election to fill a vacancy in the State Senate. - Jane Bryant Quinn
Jane Bryant Quinn is an American journalist. Born in Niagara Falls, New York, she graduated magna cum laude from Middlebury College in Vermont. She is a contributing editor for "Newsweek" and has a weekly article in Newsweek. She also writes a monthly column for Good Housekeeping. Her twice-weekly, syndicated Washington Post Writers Group column, “Staying Ahead”, ran for 27 years. For ten years, she worked for CBS News, first on "The CBS Morning News", then, … - Stephen Peer
Stephen Peer (1840-1887) was a tightrope walker who, though completed the feat successfully many times, fell to his death while walking a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Peer had decided to become a tight rope walker when he was 19 years old, inspired by Blondin who had performed the trick over Niagra Falls. Peer had been born and raised in the Stamford Township and wanted to be the first local resident to successfully cross the falls on a tight rope.
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