Sierran Created Ferris Wheel
Pictured is the famous Ferris wheel invented by California’s George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. When planners for the event asked America’s top designers to create something “original, daring and unique,” Ferris was more than up to the task.
Some engineers thought he was crazy. Nobody had ever attempted anything like his invention before and critics warned that it could not be done. They predicted the wheel would collapse under its own weight.
Remembering the “wheels” he had seen in Carson Valley, Ferris was inspired to create a gigantic observation wheel that would rise higher than any buildings:
- It would be 250 feet in diameter
- 825 feet in circumference
- 30 feet wide
- Elevated 15 feet
- 36 gondola cars
- 40 revolving chairs in each car
- The center of the wheel featured an iron axle 32 inches thick and 45 feet in length
Read all about the famed Ferris wheel invention and how an amazing Californian got the idea to create it!
For those who are looking to ride a Ferris wheel you can find them at:
Theme park attractions such as Disneyland
Beach amusements such as Santa Monica Pier Pacific Park
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park
Festivals with carnivals throughout California!
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