charlesriver

From Boston Magazine here's some of the backstory on Houdini's jump. When Houdini Jumped Off the Harvard Bridge by Madeline Bilis "What better way to promote an upcoming performance in Boston than to be locked up in chains and take a 30-foot plunge into the Charles River? "That’s exactly what Harry Houdini did on April 30, 1908. (Spoiler alert: He lives!) Before two weeks of performing at Keith’s Theater on Washington Street, the master of the “Impossible Possible” decided to take his talent of escaping from handcuffs and chains a step further by doing so underwater. "Houdini stood at the edge of the Harvard Bridge—commonly referred to as the Mass. Ave. Bridge—and was shackled by a Boston patrolman. His hands were handcuffed behind his back and chained to a collar around his neck. According to a Boston Globe article chronicling the feat, a signal was tooted from a towboat, and Houdini went overboard into the chilly waters below. "'There is always the possibility that I will be unable to free myself, as one never can tell what will happen to a lock,' Houdini told the newspaper. 'However, I am a good swimmer, have confidence in myself, and I hope to perform this feat successfully.' "The Globe estimated some 20,000 spectators gathered to see Houdini’s leap, including the mayors of Boston and Cambridge. They waited 40 seconds for the magician to resurface, which he did with the shackles in his hands. "A plaque commemorating Houdini’s jump is situated on the Boston side of the bridge, commissioned by Boston’s chapter of the Society of American Magicians."  

Also:

"Houdini" c.1910                                     by The Library of Congress

Amazing muscles in his legs. Houdini was in great shape.

damn... those legs.!

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who noticed what great shape he was in!!

I learned to sail here under the Community Boating program. Cost me a $1 for the summer, too. I sailed there in summers of 1981-1984. :)

Hi, Brenda! Glad to see you taking an interest in these great images of Boston! You might find it interesting that the photographer, Ernst Halberstadt, was a muralist for the WPA. His work can be seen in numerous post office buildings throughout New England. Jerry (U.S. National Archives)