Today in History—June 30: Daredevil Crosses Niagara on a Tightrope

On this day in 1859, humankind squared up against Niagara Falls for the first time. The pioneering stuntman didn’t go over the falls in a barrel. (No one would try that until 1901.)

Instead, he crossed from the U.S. to Canada on an 1,100-foot tightrope, suspended about 170 feet above the raging waters of Niagara with no net or harness to catch him. A fall would mean certain death.

So who was this courageous—or, as one newspaper wrote, “foolhardy”—daredevil?

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Jean-François Gravelet was a French acrobat better known by the stage name “Blondin” (a reference to his bright blond hair). Blondin began training in gymnastics at age five and gave his first public performance just six months later.

But it was the Niagara stunt that made Blondin a household name.

About 4:00 pm on June 30, Blondin arrived at Niagara Falls in a carriage bedecked by French and American flags. The crowd held anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 spectators (reports vary).

“At fourteen minutes past five Blondin coolly picked up his black pole,” reported the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, “and walked down the rope with a firm but cautious step.”

That “cautious” step wouldn’t characterize Blondin’s walk for long. He balanced on one leg, sat on the rope, and even laid down. In the middle of his journey, Blondin lowered a rope to a boat floating beneath him; the boat captain sent up a bottle of wine, which Blondin drank.

Blondin’s journey across took 19 minutes. The way back, marked by fewer theatrics, took eight. When he returned safely to the start, the crowd (as you’d have to expect at this point) went wild.

June 30 marked Blondin’s first crossing of Niagara—but not his last. He repeated the feat an estimated 300 times, with new gimmicks added each time. Crossing the falls blindfolded? Check. Somersaulting atop the cable? Check. Carrying his son on his back? Check, again.

Once, Blondin even stopped in the middle to cook an omelet (possibly the most French thing ever)—though he didn’t eat it. That honor went to the people in a boat below.

You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. But Blondin proved it’s possible to cross Niagara—300 times—without breaking anything else, except a record.

Famous Birthdays

1470: Charles VIII—French king

1917: Lena Horne—American singer and actress

1931: Joyce Wieland—Canadian artist

1985: Michael Phelps—American Olympic swimmer