The original Chicago Ferris Wheel of 1893 was American ambition in motion. It was bold and built to impress. Created for the World’s Columbian Exposition, it was America’s answer to the Eiffel Tower, not in height, but in ingenuity.
Designed by George Ferris Jr., a steel-savvy bridge builder, the colossal wheel stood 80 metres tall, was powered by steam, and carried over 2,000 passengers at a time in 36 enclosed cars. Its 13.7-metre axle was the largest piece of forged steel ever made at the time.
Dubbed “the monstrosity,” some warned it might collapse under its own weight. But once it began turning, it stole the show. More than 1.5 million visitors paid 50 cents for a 20-minute ride, taking in views of Chicago and Lake Michigan.
The wheel was later moved to Chicago’s North Side, then to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. But by 1906, it was no longer considered novel. The structure was dismantled using dynamite, and its steel sold for scrap.
Still, its legacy endured, and in 2016, a new Ferris wheel rose at Navy Pier. The invention sparked a global love for spinning panoramas and made Ferris a household name.
