⏰ when
When was the first Ferris wheel built?
engineeringhistoryUSA
Quick Answer
The first Ferris wheel was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, designed by engineer George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.
The Full Story
Chicago's world fair organisers wanted an attraction to rival the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 Paris Exposition. Ferris designed a giant steel wheel about 80 metres (264 feet) tall. It had 36 enclosed cars, each able to hold 60 people, so more than 2,000 riders could go round at once. The wheel opened in June 1893 and carried about 1.4 million passengers during the fair. It was later moved, used again at the 1904 St Louis World's Fair and demolished in 1906.
Key Facts
1.The original Ferris wheel stood about 80 m (264 ft) tall.
2.It had 36 cars, each holding up to 60 people.
3.It debuted at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"America's answer to the Eiffel Tower — the original giant wheel."