This "observation wheel" that we now call the Ferris wheel, named for its inventor, began as an idea on a scrap of paper in an effort to create a marvel so magnificent for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair that spectators would forget about the architectural beauty of the previous World's Fair in Paris - the Eiffel Tower. The original Ferris wheel was 264 feet high, held 36 cars that carried 40-60 people each, and cost around $400,000 to construct. It also had bragging rights to a 46 1/2 ton axle which at that time was the largest piece of steel ever forged. The Ferris wheel was an instant success and at 50 cents a ride made a profit of over $750,000 for the exhibition.
To this day, the Ferris wheel is one of the first rides that can be seen from a distance when driving toward almost any fair ground. I'm sure these overgrown bicycle wheels have changed some mechanically since 1893 but really, their looks don't seem to change. I think it's the nostalgia that surrounds them that makes me smile when I see one. A ride that has connected generations. And regardless of the atmosphere while standing on the ground, once atop the very tippy top of the Ferris wheel, all seems the same - small and insignificant.
This week, I got to ride a Ferris wheel - the one in the LOL shot above. The most fun is riding it with a little one that has never before had the experience of stopping on top, swaying side to side, peering out over the car with a bird's eye view...
Makes me smile now just reflecting.
web.mit.edu/invent/iow/ferris.html
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