The original Ferris Wheel constructed for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition featured 36 passenger cars and a capacity for over 2,000 riders. Designed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., the structure stood as a deliberate American engineering response to the Eiffel Tower, providing fair attendees with an elevated view of the entire exhibition grounds.
Early Life and Education
Born on February 14, 1859, in Galesburg, Illinois, Ferris moved to Nevada in 1864 after his family sold their dairy farm. He attended the California Military Academy in Oakland, graduating in 1876. He later enrolled at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, completing his studies with a degree in civil engineering in 1881. During his time there, he became a member of the Chi Phi fraternity and the Rensselaer Society of Engineers.
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Ferris initially pursued a career in the railroad industry, developing a professional interest in bridge construction. To support this work, he established G.W.G. Ferris & Co. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which specialized in the testing and inspection of metals for bridge and railroad projects.
The Columbian Exposition Project
In 1891, organizers for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition invited American engineers to propose a monument capable of rivaling the Paris International Exposition's Eiffel Tower. Ferris proposed a large-scale wheel that could hold up to 2,160 passengers. After securing endorsements from established engineers and raising $400,000 from private investors, construction proceeded. The final design included cars fitted with 40 revolving chairs. During the fair, the attraction facilitated over 2.5 million rides.
Final Years and Legacy
Following the conclusion of the fair, Ferris engaged in two years of litigation, alleging that exhibition managers withheld a share of the $750,000 profit generated by the wheel. His life ended on November 22, 1896, at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died of typhoid fever at the age of 37. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Alumni Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1859, Galesburg, Illinois
- Died: 1896, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1881
- Notable Work: Ferris Wheel, 1893
- Occupation: Civil Engineer
- Cause of Death: Typhoid fever
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What was the capacity of the original Ferris Wheel?
It featured 36 cars, each with 40 revolving chairs, allowing for a total capacity of 2,160 passengers.
How did Ferris enter the engineering profession?
He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1881 and worked in the railroad industry before starting his own metal testing company in Pittsburgh.
Achievements
- Notable work: Ferris Wheel
- Educated at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Worked as engineer, civil engineer and inventor
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