On This Date in Minnesota History: August 12

“The Grip of ‘The Human Fly.’
He Uses But the First Three Fingers of Each Hand.”

August 12, 1916 – With approximately 5,000 people watching, H. H. Gardiner, dubbed as “The Human Fly” by President Grover Cleveland in 1905, climbed the front of the Alworth Building, a 15-story structure in downtown Duluth—the second tallest building in Minnesota—this noon in less than half an hour, which is a few minutes under the time it took him to ascend the front of the Torrey Building, a nine-story structure, last Wednesday.

Alworth Building¹

Gardiner had far less difficulty in climbing the Alworth Building because the front of that structure is marked with steel decorations, which made it easy for him to secure the necessary holds. The Alworth is tailor-made for “The Human Fly,” and he just walked up it. At the fifteenth story he experienced a little difficulty, but not for long.

When he reached the roof of the building he climbed to the top of the flagstaff and waved to the thousands of upturned eyes that were anxiously watching his every move.

Gardiner made today’s climb for the Interstate Auto Company. The company handles the KisselKar, and when he reached the first story of the building he gave a short talk, explaining that as a climber, the KisselKar was his only competitor. At various stops in during his ascension he would shout to the crowd, “Don’t forget,” and the multitudes below would respond, “The KisselKar.”

The Duluth Herald; “’Human Fly’ Climbs Front of the Alworth Building”; Aug. 12, 1916; p. 4.

KisselKar Ad²

Human Fly Crawls Up Walls of Camden, NJ Courthouse³

¹https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2017/08/09/postcards-alworth-building/

²https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kissel_Motor_Car_Company#/media/File:Kisselkar_1915-0223.jpg
³https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Gardiner#/media/File:Human_Fly_crawls_up_walls_of_Camden_NJ_Courthouse_cropped_Feb_10_1915.png

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