Sam Patch
Sam Patch Before arriving in Niagara the young Sam Patch had already achieved a degree of notoriety by some of his previous jumps. He had performed in front of crowds in New Jersey, jumping into the Passaic Falls.
When approached by local hotel proprietors he decided to take them up on their offer. A diving platform was built on Goat Island between the Luna Falls and the Bridal Falls at a height of 85 ft.
On October 7th, 1829 Sam Patch became the first daredevil to ever challenge the Mighty Niagara River. He survived this headfirst dive unhurt and on October 17th, 1829 made a second successful dive from a height of 130 feet.
No doubt Sam Patch had plenty of guts. He would hit the water at 60 mph. Anything less then a perfect feet first entry could prove fatal. Mr. Patch’s luck would eventually run out when he attempted a 100 foot dive into the Genesee River in Rochester New York and was drowned.
