One of Chicago’s most prevalent but overlooked cultural contributions is not a building—it’s the Ferris wheel, first unveiled at the 1893 World’s Fair. More than 120 years later, Chicago adds to its legacy with a new Ferris wheel on Navy Pier.
byMarko Dumlija, Research Intern
The Origins of the Chicago Wheel
Today, hundreds of Ferris wheels tower over cities and fairgrounds around the world. But today’s wheels are very different from the original wheel, which originated in Chicago during the World’s Fair of 1893. The Ferris wheel owes its famous design to George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., a structural engineer who was born in Galesburg, Illinois and later relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who inspected steel for the fair. Ferris brought the idea for an enormous metal wheel to Daniel Burnham, the fair’s lead architect, after Burnham requested an iconic structure. Burnham and his peers hoped that it could rival the Eiffel Tower, which had been built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris.
Of the numerous proposals for Chicago’s spectacle attraction, nothing captured the imagination quite like the “Chicago Wheel.” Ferris’s enormous vertical structure, which rotated around a center axle, featured 36 gondolas capable of holding up to 60 people each—for a total capacity of 2,160 people. It was not the first amusem*nt wheel, but the use of a reduced steel framework had Burnham doubting a structure of this scale could ever work. After spending much of his own money on safety studies, Ferris finally convinced Burnham that the structure was possible. In 1893, Ferris completed the attraction and the Ferris wheel was born.
Soaring to a height of 264 feet, the original Ferris wheel offered fairgoers a 10- to 20-minute ride unlike anything they’d experienced before. For many, the Ferris wheel took them as high up as they’d ever been—and the views did not disappoint. As passengers traveled through the air, they could see out over Lake Michigan and glimpse new vistas of the city itself. In all, more than 1.4 million people paid the 50-cent fee to take a ride on the wheel. Despite the popularity of the attraction, the Ferris wheel met with a string of financial issues after the fair. It was disassembled and moved to North Clark Street, where it operated from 1895 to 1903. The wheel was then sold and rebuilt in St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1904 World’s Fair. Finally, in May of 1906, a demolition company used 200 pounds of dynamite to destroy the wheel. Its remnants were sold for scrap metal.
Reinventing the Wheel
Almost exactly 110 years after the original wheel was demolished, a new Ferris wheel opened on Navy Pier in 2016. Part of Navy Pier’s larger redesign for its centennial celebration, this new amusem*nt ride replaced an earlier wheel installed in 1995. Both the 1995 and the 2016 wheels were manufactured by Dutch Wheels. Known as the Centennial Wheel, the new attraction measures 196 feet in height and has 42 gondolas. While this Ferris wheel won’t contend for the “world’s tallest” title, it is currently the sixth-tallest wheel in the United States. But bigger isn’t always better. The Centennial Wheel makes up for its average stature with new amenities, including air-conditioned gondolas and high-tech safety glass.
Another big change for the Navy Pier wheel is the passenger experience. As opposed to the 1995 wheel’s red gondolas, the new gondolas don Navy Pier’s signature blue and offer individual seating. Navy Pier’s previous ride operated on a continuous rotation system, meaning that passengers boarded while it was still moving. But the new wheel stops to allow passengers to exit and board each gondola. During this pause, passengers aboard other gondolas can capture views of the city from different heights or interact with a multimedia system that displays facts about the surroundings.
Go for a Spin
Although the original wheel was not preserved, Ferris’s idea lives on at small town carnivals and at major landmark attractions across the globe. And the new Ferris wheel at Navy Pier shares a few similarities with the original: its new gondolas are larger and enclosed and its new height is closer to the original’s dazzling 264 feet. This summer, take part in Chicago’s history with a ride on the new Ferris wheel. Imagine that it’s 1893 and you’ve never been up so high. The view out over the lake is just as beautiful today as it was all those years ago.
FAQs
1893. The first Ferris wheel came to Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Named after designer George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., an engineer from Pittsburgh, Ferris brought the idea of the wheel to Daniel Burnham. The wheel was 264 feet tall and illuminated by 2,500 Edison incandescent lights.
What is the history of the Ferris wheel? ›
The original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. as a landmark for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago; although much smaller wooden wheels of similar idea predate Ferris's wheel, dating perhaps to the 1500s.
What happened to the Chicago World's fair Ferris wheel? ›
After the 1904 World's Fair closed on December 1, 1904, no purchasers were found who would pay for the relocation of the great Ferris Wheel, despite many efforts. It was finally destroyed by controlled demolition using dynamite on May 11, 1906 (18 months after the fair closed), to be sold for scrap.
What happened to the 1904 Ferris wheel? ›
Since no one wanted it, the wheel was destroyed. However, the problem that remained was the wheel's 70-ton axle, which was the largest piece of steel ever forged in the U.S. at the time. In 1943, an 82-year-old man who worked on the construction crew claimed the axle was buried on the Forest Park Golf Course.
What are some fun facts about the Ferris wheel? ›
Ferris wheel facts for kids
- The original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. ...
- Since the original 1893 Chicago Ferris wheel there have been nine world's tallest-ever Ferris wheels.
The world's first Ferris wheel was invented for Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Students will explore the creative inspiration behind the wheel, the collaborative process of fabricating the wheel, and the features of riding on the wheel.
What does a Ferris wheel symbolize? ›
The Ferris Wheel Symbol Analysis
The Ferris Wheel is a monument to American ingenuity, bravery, and creativity.
When was the Ferris wheel destroyed? ›
It was disassembled and moved to North Clark Street, where it operated from 1895 to 1903. The wheel was then sold and rebuilt in St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1904 World's Fair. Finally, in May of 1906, a demolition company used 200 pounds of dynamite to destroy the wheel.
Where is the oldest Ferris wheel in the world? ›
The Vienna Riesenrad (built 1897) is the oldest Ferris wheel in operation, having been repaired after damage in the Second World War. It has made memorable appearances in cinema, from The Third Man to James Bond.
Why was the Chicago fair destroyed? ›
A smallpox epidemic that originated at the fair in midsummer spread throughout the city by early autumn. Then, just before the gala closing ceremonies were to be held, Mayor Carter Harrison was assassinated. Finally, shortly after the fair's close, a fire swept through the fairgrounds, destroying many of the buildings.
White City continued to deteriorate until it was condemned in 1939 and its facilities were auctioned off in 1946. In 1945, the land on which White City had stood was designated for a co-operative housing development for African-Americans.
What two buildings are left from the Chicago World's Fair? ›
Surviving structures
Almost all of the fair's structures were designed to be temporary; of the more than 200 buildings erected for the fair, the only two which still stand in place are the Palace of Fine Arts and the World's Congress Auxiliary Building.
Where is the abandoned city with a Ferris wheel? ›
Located north-west to the Palace of Culture in the center of Pripyat, the park had five attractions: The iconic 26 m (85 ft.) ferris wheel "Круговой обзор" ('Circular Overview')
What happened to the Old Navy Pier Ferris wheel? ›
The Ferris wheel, seen in September 2015, had been a centerpiece at Navy Pier since 1995. It's now headed to Branson, Mo., as the pier replaces it with a bigger wheel. PUBLISHED: January 29, 2016 at 11:00 p.m. | UPDATED: August 23, 2019 at 6:36 p.m.
How much did it cost to ride the first Ferris wheel? ›
At 264 feet (80.4 meters) high, it was five times the size of the largest wooden “pleasure wheels” of the day. Passengers paid 50 cents per ticket (equivalent to $16.86 in 2023) to ride for two revolutions over 20 minutes.
What city has the oldest Ferris wheel in the world? ›
A colossus that's not in any rush: The wheel of the Giant Ferris Wheel turns at a speed of 2.7 km/h. This Viennese sight is the oldest ferris wheel of its type still in existence anywhere in the world. And famous throughout the world.
What is the history of the Archer Avenue in Chicago? ›
Archer Avenue was named in honor of Colonel William Archer, who was one of the three original Illinois and Michigan Canal commissioners overseeing its construction. Archer Avenue thrived over the next several decades, with nearby lumberyards, steel mills, and the new Union Stockyards as key places of employment.
