The Remarkable Story of the Iron Scow at Niagara Falls

Sometimes, if you wait long enough, Mother Nature will step in to solve even the most difficult of problems.

According to NBC News, a gigantic ship known as the Iron Scow (or sometimes, the Niagara Scow) has been lodged on some rocks at Niagara Falls since a wreck in 1918. However, wind and rain broke the boat loose on Thursday, Oct. 31, ending its seemingly permanent, 101-year residence at the Falls.

The boat originally became stuck at Niagara Falls after a tether (which was attached from the ship to a tugboat) came loose during a dredging expedition near Canada’s Horseshoe Falls, as reported by the Washington Post.

As it drifted toward the edge of the falls, two men, Gustav Lofberg and James Harris, were on board the ship. They managed to slow down the boat by allowing water to flood the bottom, according to NBC News. Consequently, by the next morning, the two men were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian authorities. Authorities decided that saving the boat itself was too risky, as indicated by the Washington Post.

Since then, the boat has remained on the rocks between the borders of the Canadian province of Ontario and New York State. It has withstood storms, blizzards, and, of course, thousands of tons of water rushing past it over the years. Perhaps it’s akin to loosening the lid of a pickle jar – after more than 100 years of winds, rain, and water twisting and trying, it finally broke free.

This remarkable vessel has become somewhat of a tourist attraction for those visiting Niagara Falls. According to the Washington Post, the Niagara Parks Commission commemorated the wreck’s 100th anniversary with permanent panels in the area that narrate the ship’s intriguing history.

However, now that it is dislodged, it continues to drift to different parts of the rapids, as noted by the Washington Post. The Niagara Parks Commission is currently monitoring the ship’s position, perhaps in the hope of finally recovering it.

“It could be stuck there for days, or it could be stuck there for years,” Jim Hill, senior manager of heritage for the Niagara Parks Commission, mentioned to the Washington Post. “It’s anyone’s guess.”