Then: Blondin crossing the Niagara Gorge



The suspension bridge in the background of this 1860 photo was later replaced by a steel arch bridge (Photo courtesy Life Magazine)
 


 


 


 

Look out over the thunderous, swilrling waters of the Niagara River. According to an 1862 biography by George Linnaeus Banks, Blondin once had a vivid dream that he had crossed "the boiling flood" of Niagara Falls "on a silken line as delicate as a thread of gossamer". In the dream, his crossing was accompanied by the tumultuous applause of throngs of astonished spectators.

With the help of his manager, Harry Colcord, Blondin quickly set about making that dream a reality. Together, they struggled for five months to get the necessary permits to set up his 340 metre long tightrope and make his dream come true.

Sherman Zavitz continues Blondin's amazing story in the audio clip on this page.



 


 


 


 


Now: Niagara River Gorge south of the Rainbow Bridge


Sources

Abbott, Karen. 2011. The Daredevil of Niagara Falls [Blondin]. Smithsonian Magazine, October, 2011. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-daredevil-of-niagara-falls-110492884/

Banks, G. Linnaeus (editor). 1862. Blondin: His Life and Performances. Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, London and New York.

Livius. 2015.156 years ago today, the first man crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope. The History Blog. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/date/2015/06

Zavitz, Sherman. 2000. Niagara Falls: dramatic true stories from Niagara's remarkable past. Audio CD. Niagara Falls Public Library. https://live.nflibrary.ca/eg/opac/record/126356?query=zavitz%20dramatic

Approximate location of Blondin's tightrope crossings, 1860


Image

Niagara Falls Then and Now
A collaborative project
Niagara Falls Museums - Niagara Falls Public Library - Dept. of Geography and Tourism Studies,Brock University.
Original newspaper series by Sherman Zavitz, Official Historian for the City of Niagara Falls from 1994 - 2019.

© 2020 All rights reserved
Copyright for all content remains with original creators.



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