First tightrope walk over Niagara Falls
- Who
- Jean Francois Gravelet aka Charles Blondin
- What
- First
- Where
- United States (Niagara,)
- When
- 30 June 1859
The greatest 19th century tightrope walker, Jean Francois Gravelet, alias Charles Blondin (1824 -1897), of France, made the earliest crossing of the Niagara Falls on a 76mm 3in rope 335m 1,100ft long and 47.75m 160ft above the Falls on 30 June 1859.
Blondin thereafter made each crossing of the Falls in a different manner. He crossed blindfolded; trundling a wheelbarrow; on stilts and sitting down halfway to make an omelette. On 15 Sept 1860, he made a crossing carrying Harry Colcord by pick-a-back.
Blondin thereafter made each crossing of the Falls in a different manner. He crossed blindfolded; trundling a wheelbarrow; on stilts and sitting down halfway to make an omelette. On 15 Sept 1860, he made a crossing carrying Harry Colcord by pick-a-back.