A Ferris wheel is an amusement ride made of a rotating upright wheel carrying multiple passenger components attached around its rim, kept upright as the wheel turns, usually by gravity alone. Some of the largest modern Ferris wheels instead mount their cars on the outside of the rim and use electric motors to rotate each one independently and keep it level. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
YearSourced to the subject's own accountBuilt as a landmark for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago; much smaller wooden wheels of a similar idea are recorded as early as the 1500s. SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe Ferris wheel gave its name to the entire class of rotating observation wheel amusement rides, and the tallest examples, such as Dubai's Ain Dubai, still headline major fairs and waterfronts today. 1 Connections
Invented By
Source George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Ferris wheel (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOverview section, para 2
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 a similar idea predate Ferris's wheel, dating perhaps to the 1500s.
Overview section, para 3, tallest wheel
The tallest Ferris wheel is the 250-metre (820 ft) Ain Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which opened in October 2021.
View the Source George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. (Wikipedia)
Invented By: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., Lead sectionQuote, Invented By: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., Lead section
He is mostly known for creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition.
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