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The Ferris Wheel was invented by a civil engineer named George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. He visited Chicago in 1891 and heard about a challenge for someone to design a superstructure that would be like the Eiffel Tower in France, but more American. This structure would be part of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Ferris came up with the idea of a giant wheel. Although many people did not believe in his idea, he finally got the money and architects to build his design. It became the largest piece of steel in the U.S. and the thrill of riding such a unique and large wheel made it very popular. Soon, other ferris wheels began showing up in amusement parks all around the country. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.’s birthday is February 14, so Ferris Wheel Day is celebrated on his birthday to honor his amazing creation!
The original Ferris Wheel was 264 feet tall. Since then, even larger Ferris wheels have been built, including the 550 foot High Roller in Las Vegas and the 820 foot Ain Dubai in the UAE! It cost 50 cents to ride the original Ferris Wheel in 1893, which may sound cheap, but that was half of a day’s pay!
