Old North Church Steeple
Posted on 06/07/2013 6:38:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
On September 13th 1757, John Childs completed the first flight in America. Tethered to a rope, and attached to a feathered glider, he flew about 700 feet from the steeple of the Old North Church to the ground. He had placed advertisements in the Boston Gazette preceding the event, and many spectators attended. Brandishing pistols on his third flight, and with local business completely disrupted in the area, the town leaders barred him from any more sorties...
An account of the flights was published in the September 23rd 1757 issue of the New-Hampshire Gazette:
"[Last] Tuesday in the afternoon John Childs, who had given public notice of his intention to fly from the steeple of Dr. Cutler's Church, performed it to the satisfaction of a great number of spectators; and Wednesday in the afternoon he again performed it twice; the last time he set off with two pistols loaded, one of which discharged in his descent, the other missing fire, he cocked and snapped again before he reached the place prepared to receive him. It is supposed from the steeple to the place where the rope was fixed was about 700 feet upon a slope, and that he was about 16 & 18 seconds performing it each time. As these performances led many people from their business, he is forbid flying any more in the town. The said Childs says he has flown from the highest steeples in England, and off the Monument, by the Duke of Cumberland's Desire."
(Excerpt) Read more at celebrateboston.com ...
Old North Church Steeple
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If I am not mistaken sounds like he was zip lining.
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first sustained, controlled flights in a powered aircraft.
An important distinction.
Without powered flight we’d still marvel air balloons.
And he wasn’t burned as a witch? I’m calling sexism.
Video or it didn’t happen.
lol
;’)
John Childs the Evel Knievel of the 1750s.
He was a rebel and he’ll never ever be any good.
Well, he *did* cover his glider with feathers, so maybe he was trying to get in touch with his feminine side.
The witch burning was very much sexist...an was started by a deranged pervert ( both spiritually and sexually) via a book written in response to a rebuff by a catholic court.
Didn’t take you long to reach the same conclusion I did...
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