World's First Ferris Wheel Held 1500 Passengers
This Engineering Marvel Built for 1893 Chicago Exposition
Aug 15, 2008 Rosemary E. Bachelor
This unusual ferris wheel was built for the 1893 Chicago Exposition. An extravagant ancestor of the popular ferris wheel we see at carnivals, country fairs and amusement parks, it stood about 265 feet tall and sported 3,000 electric lights. The 1,200 ton wheel carried 36 cars, each seating more than 40 passengers.
Invented by Bridge Builder George Ferris
It was invented by Pittsburgh bridge builder George Washington Gale Ferris. Columbian Exposition promoters asked him to produce something rivaling the Eiffel Tower. The exposition celebrated--a year late--the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovering America.
The search for a builder ended in Ladoga, Indiana. A Montgomery County history gives this account:
"The town of Ladoga lays claim to the engineering feat of constructing the famous World's Fair 'Ferris Wheel' that amused and astonished millions of people at the Chicago and St. Louis World's Fairs. The originator of this scheme could not find an engineer who would undertake to build it, until he finally found Luther Rice of Ladoga, this county, who examined the plans, said he would, and he did…After the fair in Chicago, it stood in Ferris Wheel Park for a time, but when the St. Louis fair came on it was taken down and set up there. After that ended it was sold to the Chicago Wrecking Company, who placed many sticks of dynamite beneath it and destroyed its cement moorings and it fell."
Construction Cost $400,000
This ferris wheel consisted of two wheels connected by struts and rods. An axle 31" in diameter and 45' long was at the center; the spokes were iron rods nearly 3" in diameter, placed in pairs 13' apart. It was powered by two engines of 1,000-horse power each. The construction cost was roughly $400,000.
Ferris was called “wild-eyed with wheels in his head.” His wife was his major supporter. Standing on a chair in a car swaying 266 feet above ground, Mrs. Ferris confidently raised a glass of champagne to her lips and toasted her husband: "To the health of my husband and the success of the ferris wheel.” Cheers resounded from the two cars of dignitaries, relieving the tension and apprehension of guests seated at tables in the streetcar-size compartments.
Souvenir Booklets Now Valuable
Each rider was given a souvenir booklet. In the 1950's, an original booklet was auctioned off for $20. They are worth much more now. Various postcards, booklets and paper weights depicting the Ferris Wheel were made. The ride cost fifty cents and made $726,805.50 during the World's Fair.
This ferris wheel was one of the greatest sensations of its era--an engineering triumph, but with a place in history less secure than that of the Eiffel Tower built for the 1889 Paris World's Fair marking the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
Ferris died in 1896. By then nearly a million and a half people had taken a ride on his super-fantastic creation.
The world's tallest ferris wheel at 541 feet opened March 1, 2008 in Singapore. Larger ones are under construction in Beijing and Berlin.
SOURCES:
History of Montgomery County, Indiana, A. W. Bowen & Co. (1913: Indianapolis).
Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, 17 June 1893.
The Rice Family: Celebrating Our Diversity (2002: Quebec City, Canada)
First Ferris Wheel (1893)
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Poster: First Ferris Wheel
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