Stranded Scow

Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

1. Stranded Scow Marker

Inscription. On August 6, 1918, this dumping scow broke loose from its towing tug about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) upriver, with Gustav F. Lofberg and James N. Harris aboard. The men opened the bottom dumping doors and the scow grounded in the shallow rapids. They were rescued the next day by breeches buoy, on a line shot out from the roof of the adjacent powerhouse.

Erected by The Niagara Parks Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1918.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 43° 4.238′ N, 79° 4.318′ W. Marker was in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It was on Niagara Parkway close to Dufferin Isle Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 7530 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls ON L0S 1A0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe

and in Niagara Canada.

It was also in Central Canada.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western

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World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: A different marker also named The Stranded Scow (here, next to this marker); Burch’s Mills (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Gate House (about 210 meters away); Toronto Power Generating Station (about 240 meters away); Ontario Power Screen House (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Niagara Park Greenhouses (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Bridgewater Mills (approx. half a kilometer away); Wm. B. Rankine (approx. 0.8 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Niagara Falls.

Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia Entry for the Stranded Scow. “There are conflicting reports whether Luffberg and Harris were able to release the false bottom of the scow to dump their load of sand and silt - but regardless, the boat got caught on a rock shoal 838 yards (766 m) from the edge of the falls, leaving the two Niagara Falls Power Company

Stranded Scow in 2025 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 3, 2025

2. Stranded Scow in 2025

During recent years (2019, 2022), the scow has broken up more, moved downstream 50 metres and rotated.

employees stranded in the middle of the raging torrents of water. Later reports suggest that Luffberg had tied a rope between himself and the scow as a safety precaution lest he fall overboard while the scow was still beached, while Harris tied one between himself and a free barrel.” (Submitted on December 20, 2014.)

2. Wikipedia Entry for Breeches Buoy. “A breeches buoy is a crude rope-based rescue device used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one location to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a leg harness attached. It is similar to a zip line.The breeches buoy was usually deployed from either ship to ship, or ship to shore using a rocket, kite system, or a lyle gun, and allowed single person evacuations. A line is attached to the ship, and the person being rescued is pulled to shore in the breeches buoy which rides the line similar to a zip line.” (Submitted on December 20, 2014.)

3. HMDB entry for Stranded Scow (2025 version). Niagara Parks replaced the marker, and re-worded it. HMDB expects

Stranded Scow and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

3. Stranded Scow and Marker

The scow is the black object to the right of the fishermen at the fence.

a new entry in this circumstance, so a new entry was duly created. (Submitted on September 5, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario.)

Scow Stranded in the Rapids of the Niagara River, Above the Falls image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

4. Scow Stranded in the Rapids of the Niagara River, Above the Falls

<i>The Life Line</i> image. Click for full size.

Oil by Winslow Homer, 1884

5. The Life Line

This painting shows a breeches buoy in action. It is in the George Elkins Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This photograph of the painting is from Wikipedia Commons.

Stranded Scow - Marker in context image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 3, 2025

6. Stranded Scow - Marker in context

Photo faces north. Marker is adjacent to the Trans-Canada trail. Part of the scow is visible, left of the three walkers (distant right-of-centre). The mist cloud is rising from the Canadian falls, 400 metres north.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 587 times since then and 21 times this year. Last updated on September 5, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. Photos: 1. submitted on December 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 2. submitted on July 5, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 6. submitted on July 5, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.