Local History/Background for Teachers’ Prep:

The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago had no shortage of innovations and wonders, yet one loomed larger than all others: the giant Ferris wheel on Midway. Created to rival the Eiffel Tower that Paris created for their own World Fair in 1889, Ferris had the idea of creating something just as large but also movable. Legend has it that he had the idea in mind for months after watching a water wheel, and pitched it for this Fair. Others were recommending towers similar to the Eiffel Tower, but those ideas were not chosen. And for good reason—the Ferris Wheel was one of the most popular attractions at the Fair. It stood tallest in the city of Chicago, was built in just six months, and could carry more than 2,000 people on it. One ticket was 50 cents, allowing riders to experience two revolutions. It is approximated that approximately 1.5 million people rode the Ferris Wheel. At a time when airplanes did not exist, this type of a ride was what allowed people to leave the ground and see the view from above [see images below]. 

After the fair, it was assumed that the Ferris Wheel would stay in place, but that did not happen. In 1904, Louisiana reassembled The Ferris Wheel for their Exposition. In 1906, the Ferris Wheel was scraped. The creator of this behemoth, George Washington Gale Ferris Junior, faced a tragic end too. He died in 1896 of typhoid after going bankrupt. 

The remains of the Original Ferris Wheel of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 lay in the Midway Plaisance Park, under the ice rink, which now connects the University of Chicago campus. The Ferris Wheel no longer exists at this location and neither do the fabulous structures created for the Exposition, but its legacy lives to this day.