Sam Patch is known for his daring waterfall jumps and is recognized as a charismatic figure. His jumps are framed as artistic expressions, and he was perceived differently by various political factions of the time.

Mayo Greenleaf Patch, Sam's father, is depicted as a strategic and financially unstable figure who maneuvers through the social and economic constraints of 19th-century America, impacting Sam's early life.

Timothy Crane was a builder and sawmill owner who created the Forest Garden, a park that excluded working-class locals. He is depicted as opposing Sam Patch and representing industrialist interests.

Colonel William Leete Stone was a New York City newspaper editor who admired nature's aesthetics and opposed figures like Sam Patch, using his newspaper to critique the working-class culture.

Sam Drake was a prominent member of the Rochester Band who supported Sam Patch and was known for his involvement in bold and theatrical sporting man culture, which helped define the era's social subcultures.