Sam Patch: A Daring Daredevil
Sam Patch was a daredevil who made a splash in the 1820s. His daring exploits gave working-class Americans a chance to dream big. His exploits inspired the crowds and drew adoring fans. He provided the inspiration that made celebrities into the stars they are today.
Sam Patch's Life
Paul Johnson uses the life of Sam Patch, the famous falls jumper, as a lens to study ideological battles within America prior to the Civil War. Throughout the film, Johnson explores the conflicting views of nature and the power of industry, while simultaneously examining the nature of democracy and art.At age seven or eight, Patch began working at a cotton mill. He proved to be an excellent worker and quickly rose to the position of manager. However, he had to fight the wealthy, who wanted to take over the town and construct a bridge, for which the workers would have to pay an entrance fee. As a result, Patch became a folk hero among the working class, and his fame grew.
Sam Patch's Birth
Although Sam Patch was born in 1799, some sources claim that he was born in 1807. His father was an alcoholic, with a bad reputation and a large debt. The father and mother divorced in 1818. Sam Patch's life illustrates the tensions that emerged between the middle class and the wage earner class.
His Leaps
Sammy Davis Jr. jumped from 77 feet in the Sam Patch movie. He first learned how to jump at the falls of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Later, he moved to Paterson, New Jersey, where he made his leaps at the Passaic Falls. In the film, he jumped at different heights, including from the roof of an adjacent building to the river.During his short career, Sam Patch inspired the working-class people of the day to dream big. The movie gave them a sense of possibility, as it fueled a dream that would lead them to fame and fortune. It also sparked the rise of celebrity and merchandising. It inspired many people to try risky things and to pursue the American dream.
His Imitators
In the early 1900s, Sam Patch made headlines as a parachutist. He had become famous because of a leap from a platform in front of thousands of spectators. He was often compared to Napoleon and other great historical figures. But unlike Napoleon, Patch was not drunk. Then he began jumping from factories and bridges. He also jumped from ships' masts.Sam Patch was larger than life, dressed all in white, with white pants acting as his uniform. His wild ways fueled his legendary status. On one occasion, he strutted around town intoxicated with his pet black bear. His eccentricity was reflected in the fact that his performance attracted 6,000 to 10,000 spectators.
His Raspberries
The story of Sam Patch and His raspberries began when the prickly, drunken character first entered the world in the early nineteenth century. He was a self-proclaimed guardian of nature and art, but he also was a publicity seeker. His actions were frowned upon by the wealthy, but they won the affection of a large audience. Patch's fame spread through children's adventure books, folktales, plays, and newspaper columns. It was also the subject of some particularly terrible poems.This year, u-pick berry farms across the Columbia Basin have been hit by an unusually long and warm summer. A cold, windy spring was followed by a 115-degree heat wave in June. Brie Davis, who owns a one-acre farm outside of Moses Lake, says she believes the heatwave had something to do with the slow growth of the plants last year.
