Flat Matthew, Don't Jump!

The most famous picture of Wisconsin Dells was taken by H.H. Bennett, a pioneer photographer. Bennett took the picture in 1886. The picture shows Bennett's son, Ashley, jumping to Stand Rock.


The picture is famous because it was the first picture taken with a stop-action shutter. The shutter was powered by a rubber band. Before Bennett invented the stop-action shutter, people had to sit very still to have their picture taken.

Bennett lived in Wisconsin Dells. Today, his studio is a museum run by the Wisconsin State Historical Society.

Flat Matthew likes to have his picture taken, so he wanted to visit the museum.


The museum is on the main street. It has many pictures taken by Bennett, and you can visit his work room, just as it looked when he was taking pictures.

Flat Matthew liked looking at old things, and he thought it was funny that Bennett used a rubber band on his camera.

But what Flat Matthew really wanted to do was to jump to Stand Rock.

Tom wouldn't let Flat Matthew jump. The jump is six feet, and that is too dangerous for Flat Matthew. Tom said, "Flat Matthew, Don't Jump!"

So Flat Matthew just thought about it.


This is what Flat Matthew imagined.

Don't try this at home, Round Matthew.

Tom