William Red Hill, Sr

Niagara Daredevil

From a very early age Red was obsessed by both the Niagara River and the power of Niagara Falls and would spend most of his days tossing sticks, cans, rubber tubing and anything else that would float over the falls and along the river rather than attending school.

It was the study of how the various items floating over precipice of the falls and how they would reappear in the rapids below that would prove to be the vital source of knowledge that would bring the young Hill much notoriety and international fame later in life.

When Bobby Leach tempted fate by going over the great Horseshoe Falls in his crude steel barrel in 1910, it was Red Hill that retrieved the barrel and extracted the battered but otherwise healthy Leach from the steel conveyance. Hill would again come to the rescue of Leach following his failed attempt to swim the Niagara Gorge in 1920, just ten years after his plunge over the falls. Following Leach's rescue, Hill climbed into the barrel himself and proceeded down the Niagara Gorge rapids several miles downriver to Queenston, Ontario.

Challenging the Niagara Rapids

Red Hill's second trip through the Niagara rapids came on May 30, 1930, this time choosing a steel barrel 6 feet (1.8 m) long and 3 feet (0.91 m) in diameter. The opening was a 14-by-18-inch (360 mm × 460 mm) manhole, covered by sliding steel and sealed with rubber gaskets. There were air holes on each side, which were plugged with cork and could be removed. The contraption weighed over 600 pounds (270 kg) and was painted red with gold lettering that read “William Red Hill, Master Hero of Niagara” inscribed on both sides.

An estimated 25,000 spectators watched Hill attempt to conquer the rapids which got off to a slow start as the barrel bobbed and bucked in the raging river for an hour and forty minutes before arriving in the lower rapids. In less than 90 seconds he had entered the mighty Whirlpool with its extremely strong currents and become trapped as his barrel violently spun in circles for more than three hours. At one point he had opened the steel hatch and tried to paddle against the current to free himself, but to no avail. It was only through the efforts of his son William "Red" Hill Jr. who swam out to the floundering barrel with a rope attached to his waist the senior Hill survived.

The next day the 42-year-old Hill went back to the whirlpool, retrieved his contraption and continued the final leg of his journey to Queenston, Ontario where he emerged triumphant, with only a few minor cuts and bruises.

Ice Bridge Collapse

In the early part of the century thousands of tourists would venture out onto the ice bridge that forms in the pool at the base of the falls during extremely cold winters. On February 4, 1912 while operating a small shanty that served hot beverages and snacks on the frozen river to tourists that were visiting the "Ice bridge", he heard the ice below him tremble and he immediately sensed disaster.

He realized the ice was breaking up below and he frantically tried to wave the spectators to safety on the Canadian side. Realizing that four people were still on the ice, Red Hill Sr. returned and managed to pull one person, a young boy to safety.

Three others were not so lucky, and despite frantic efforts to drop ropes from the bridges, the three terrified people were swept to their deaths, their bodies never recovered. Had it not been for the quick actions of Red Hill Sr. that day the tragedy could have been much worse.

In the first World War Red Hill saw action in France, was awarded two more medals for bravery and returned to Canada in 1918. That was the year that saw Red Hill perform one of his most outstanding feats of bravery.

The Niagara Scow Incident

On August 6, 1918, The Niagara Scow carrying two men broke its line, and the swift current in the upper river brought the scow within 300 yards (270 m) of the brink of the falls. The two quick-thinking men opened two latches on the bottom of the scow and grounded it on the jagged rocks. Darkness was approaching when the United States Coast Guard mounted their gun on the roof of the Toronto Power House and shot a rope to the scow.

A breeches buoy was then sent out but became tangled and snarled. Red Hill Sr. volunteered to try to reach the men. Using the rope, Red Hill Sr. set out at 3 a.m. with spotlights glaring to light his path. A wrong move on his part would bring almost certain death. Hand over hand Red Hill struggled against the fierce current to reach his destination, however, hindered by darkness, Hill was not able to untangle the ropes.

The rescue was called off until the light of day. By 8 a.m. Red Hill was again attempting to free the ropes, this time being successful. By 9:30 a.m. the men were being safely returned to the shore.

Today visitors to Niagara Falls can still see the old scow in place. Rusted and a haven for seagulls, few visitors ever hear about the near tragedy over the falls that day or of the heroic actions of a man that would forever hold the title as “Riverman”.

History and legacy

He would make the journey down the Niagara River three more times before his death in 1942 at the age of 54. Hill was not only recognized for his trips down the lower rapids, but also for his love of the river. An avid “rivers man”, he allegedly pulled over 170 bodies from Niagara’s waters. He also participated in many rescue efforts of stranded individuals, saving the lives of 28 people who would have surely drowned if it had not been for his bravery.

Red Hill was the father of four sons, Red Hill Jr., Major Lazer(given name), Corky and Wesley. One of these sons would also play a role in the history of stunting at Niagara Falls.

During his later years Red Hill sold pictures of himself and displayed his barrel in a local souvenir shop. Red Hill Sr. died in a Niagara Falls, Ontario hospital from effects of the gassing that he sustained during the First World War. He was 54 years old.

Red Hill Sr. passed his love of the Niagara River onto his son William “Red” Hill Jr., who would make the trip down the lower rapids several times following in his father's footsteps. Hill Jr., however, had a bigger purpose for his feats, to raise funds for a memorial fund to honour his father. His stunts, however, would not raise sufficient funds and so he decided to increase the stakes by performing a stunt even his father would not attempt, taking a barrel over the Horseshoe Falls.

His son, Red Hill Jr.’s barrel was unlike any other, as it was constructed of 13 large inflated inner tubes that were held together by canvas webbing, encased by heavy-gauge fish netting. He had named his barrel “The Thing”, and on August 5, 1951 he set off at Chippawa, with thousands of curiosity seekers looking on. The trip started out as planned, as the barrel rode the upper rapids toward the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. The barrel made it over the cataract, however, it would not take long for onlookers to realize that the stunt had gone terribly wrong. “The Thing”, which had dropped 167 feet (51 m), had shattered and broken apart from the pressure of the water and the great fall. Red Hill Jr. had not survived, and his battered body was found the next morning at the Maid of the Mist landing.

The character Tom Cole (local riverman and grandson of another famed riverman) from The Day the Falls Stood Still, by Cathy Marie Buchanan was inspired by Red Hill Sr.