George Polley
Encyclopedia
George Gibson Polley was an American
pioneer of (the then-unnamed act of) buildering
, or climbing the walls of tall buildings, earning him the nickname "the human fly".
According to himself, he began his climbing career in 1910 when an owner of a clothing
store promised him a suit if he would climb to the roof of the building. He succeeded.
Over his career Polley climbed over 2000 buildings. In 1920 he climbed the Woolworth building
but was arrested, just when he reached the 30th floor and had 27 floors to go, for climbing without official permission. He also climbed 500 ft up the Custom House Tower
in Boston
. He would often spice up his performance by pretending to slip and fall from a windowsill to another.
George Polley died at the age of 29 due to a brain tumor
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer of (the then-unnamed act of) buildering
Buildering
Buildering is the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures. The word "buildering" is a portmanteau, combining the word "building" with the climbing term "bouldering".If done without ropes or protection far off the ground, buildering may be dangerous...
, or climbing the walls of tall buildings, earning him the nickname "the human fly".
According to himself, he began his climbing career in 1910 when an owner of a clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
store promised him a suit if he would climb to the roof of the building. He succeeded.
Over his career Polley climbed over 2000 buildings. In 1920 he climbed the Woolworth building
Woolworth Building
The Woolworth Building is one of the oldest skyscrapers in New York City. More than a century after the start of its construction, it remains, at 57 stories, one of the fifty tallest buildings in the United States as well as one of the twenty tallest buildings in New York City...
but was arrested, just when he reached the 30th floor and had 27 floors to go, for climbing without official permission. He also climbed 500 ft up the Custom House Tower
Custom House Tower
The Custom House Tower - now Marriott's Custom House Hotel - is a skyscraper in McKinley Square, in the Financial District neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Construction began in the mid-19th century; the tower was added in the 1910s...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He would often spice up his performance by pretending to slip and fall from a windowsill to another.
George Polley died at the age of 29 due to a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
.
See also
- Harry GardinerHarry GardinerHarry H. Gardiner , better known as the Human Fly, was an American man famous for climbing buildings. He began climbing in 1905, and successfully climbed over 700 buildings in Europe and North America, usually wearing ordinary street clothes and used no special equipment.- Climbs :Some of the...
, another "human fly" of the same era