George Washington Gale Ferris (1859

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Biography

George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. was an American civil engineer. He is mostly known for creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition.

Timeline

The story of George Washington Gale Ferris, told in moments.

1893 Event

His Ferris Wheel opened at the Chicago World's Fair. 264 feet tall, 36 cars, 60 passengers each. It was the American answer to the Eiffel Tower. He'd pitched it and everyone said it would collapse.

How did you convince the World's Fair to build your impossible wheel? Was it the answer to the Eiffel Tower or your own obsession?

1893 Event

The wheel carried 1.4 million riders during the fair. Ferris made almost nothing. The fair's organizers kept most of the revenue through legal maneuvers.

1.4 million riders and you made almost nothing -- did that feel like robbery? Was the legal maneuvering personal?

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