###The Flagpole Sitting Craze
United States, 1924 to 1930 — In the 1920s, thrill-seekers spent weeks living on tiny platforms hundreds of feet in the air just to set records.
In January 1924, a stuntman named Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly climbed a flagpole outside a Philadelphia department store. Hoping to drum up some publicity, he perched on a tiny platform for 13 hours and 13 minutes. Instead of rolling their eyes, the American public decided this was an excellent idea.
A bizarre national competition kicked off. Teenagers and adults alike scrambled up poles to break endurance records. Kelly became a superstar, touring 28 cities and charging admission to watch him sit. Whenever a challenger broke his record, Kelly just climbed back up to reclaim his title.
The fad reached its peak in 1930 when Kelly survived for a staggering 49 days atop a 225-foot pole in Atlantic City. Shortly after, the Great Depression hit, and the public's appetite for watching people sit on sticks finally vanished.
The Flagpole Sitting Craze — United States, 1924 to 1930