AMUSEMENT RIDE

The Ferris wheel was invented by George W.G. Ferris Jr. He built the first one for the 1893 World’s Fair, in Chicago, Illinois. Ferris owned a company that tested iron and steel for railroads and bridges. He used his knowledge of structural steel to design a steel structure that would amaze the visitors to the fair. The first Ferris wheel was supported by two 140-foot tall steel towers, with a 45-foot long axle between them. The wheel had a diameter of 250 feet, and had 36 wooden cars that could each hold up to 60 riders. It was lit up by 3000 of Thomas Edison’s new light bulbs. The first Ferris wheel was a huge success, and was considered a marvel of engineering.