It Happened at the World’s Fair
The first Ferris wheel was made by and named after George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. He
designed it for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. It was the tallest attraction there, standing 264 feet high.
However, visitors to the fair were impressed by the size of the ride as well as the mechanics of it.
In 1893, anything that was not turned by hand was considered a sight to see. And the wheel, which was a
machine, was truly incredible to see. Further, as one visitor put it, the wheel was amazing because it
seemed to be missing support. That is, it did not look like it could stand on its own. And yet it did and
even rotated!