At the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, George Washington Gale Ferris created the iconic Ferris wheel which captured public attention. However, his novel engineering and financial approach initially met with resistance from people around him.
You can build your full-sized DIY Ferris Wheels in your own backyard using detailed plans from The Best DIY Plans Store
1. Ferris Wheels with Seats
Ferris Wheels with seats are always fun to ride, and this little wooden one from Little People was no different. This model was one of the first Little People sets to include a wind-up music box; later models such as 1972-1977 #932 Amusement Park and 1981-1983 #70 Change-A-Tune Carousel featured similar mechanisms.
This set includes an assortment of small Ferris wheels in different colors and six colorful cabins for two passengers each, featuring seats with pegs attached that make clipping into place easier for children. Its base consists of masonite board pieces and wood pieces while both it and its plastic wheelhouse have colorful lithographs on its sides for easy identification by children.
The original Ferris Wheel was constructed for the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition as America's answer to Paris' Eiffel Tower. Pittsburgh native George Washington Gale Ferris held many engineering roles within the railroad industry constructing bridges, trestles and tunnels for bridges as well as tunnels.
He had a sideline in creating Ferris wheels, and his steel observation wheel at the Exposition proved an extraordinary success. Standing 264 feet tall and housing 36 wooden cabin-like gondolas that could seat up to 60 people each, his original Ferris wheel proved immensely popular at this exposition.
Ferris also built larger wheels for other events and cities, including patenting several innovations for his designs - like revolving platforms that elevated gondolas above the wheel - before finally dismantling his original wheel after its final appearance at St Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1906.
Modern Ferris Wheels differ greatly from their wooden predecessors in that they utilize passenger cars (also called pods or capsules) mounted around its rim; electric motors spin each pod independently to keep it upright - enabling passengers to enjoy the view without climbing out or leaning over. Some of the world's most notable Ferris wheels can carry 400 people at one time and some can even be found in Las Vegas, London and Tokyo.
2. Ferris Wheels with Seats Without Pegs
The Ferris Wheel was an eye-catching invention and became the star attraction at carnivals and fairs across America, embodying American innovation while challenging people around the world to rethink how we have fun. Ferris wheels proved profitable for their operators while thrilling for riders; becoming affordable leisure activities outside the home that provided entertainment. From small portable ones to permanent structures transforming city skylines with breathtaking effects; today there are hundreds of operational Ferris wheels in operation across our nations.
Are You on a Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier or Your Backyard? - Experience it From Above with a Ferris Wheel You Build!
This kit offers an exciting way to recreate one of the world's most beloved amusement rides ever created! Featuring 207 precision-cut wooden pieces that snap together easily without glue, this toy provides hands-on STEM learning and encourages critical problem-solving skills development - and is recommended for ages 14 and up.
Your child can also paint their toy Ferris wheel set to make it more realistic and add another element of playtime fun and adventure! Doing this will enhance their artistic skills while simultaneously adding another dimension of fun and adventure into their playtime experience.
Early versions of this toy featured straight-sided figures that fit snugly into peg seats, while later editions had no peg and instead utilized Regular Base little people - all designed so children of various ages could play and learn together. Both sets can be purchased both online and at Target; both options make great additions to any collection and make thoughtful gifts, particularly when combined with storybooks such as Gray Malin's The Story of George Washington Gale Ferris and the Chicago World's Fair 1893 for any special event or celebration!
3. Ferris Wheels with Passenger Cars
A Ferris Wheel, also referred to as an observation wheel or Giant Wheel, is an amusement ride comprising of an upright rotating wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as cars, cabins, tubs gondolas or capsules attached around its perimeter. As it spins, these components remain upright due to gravity or electric motors; modern wheels employ separate electric motors that control each individual car so as to remain upright during its rotation. Currently, the largest modern wheels use electric motors to independently rotate each car in order to remain upright - even larger modern wheels have cars mounted outside their rim so as to remain upright as gravity does its thing, and/or motors can independently rotate each car independently to maintain their uprightness when the wheel spins - making their ride unforgettable.
The original Ferris Wheel stood 264 feet, or 26 stories high when constructed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Later it traveled to St Louis where it delighted 3 million visitors at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition before 200 tons of dynamite reduced it to scrap metal in 1906.
At the time, Ferris was an experienced engineer and had already patented several inventions, but his colleagues doubted he could build a steel wheel five times taller and capable of transporting passengers; they feared its weight might cause it to collapse under its own weight.
Ferris was determined to prove them wrong. To create his massive and heavy-duty wheel, he used wrought iron instead of cast iron (which was more robust and costlier), as it allowed for continuous turning without stopping to let passengers off or on. Furthermore, he designed an innovative mechanism enabling its turning without stopping for passengers boarding and disembarking.
The first Ferris wheel featured 36 gondolas that looked like cabins and could seat up to 60 passengers each, turning once every 20 minutes at 50 cents per ticket.
Today there are over one hundred Ferris wheels operating globally. While most are constructed out of steel or a combination of steel and concrete, others use other materials, like wood. All in all, Ferris wheels provide people with an unforgettable experience of riding giant wheels!
Students will gain the skills needed to use ruler and protractor measurements of a Ferris wheel car's height above the ground for different amounts of rotation, as well as examine what causes it to spin and how its rim holds onto cars on its rim.
4. Ferris Wheels with Passenger Cars Without Pegs
Ferris wheels have long been beloved amusement rides. From portable versions to permanent installations, Ferris wheels have delighted people all over the globe. Pittsburgh native George Washington Gale Ferris' eye-catching engineering achievement exemplified America's technological superiority while revolutionizing how people played and had fun - becoming one of the focal attractions in many amusement parks worldwide.
There are more than 100 Ferris wheels worldwide, from tiny portable ones to massive structures that alter city skylines. Some are constructed like traditional Ferris wheels with passenger cars attached to their rim and rotating around an axle; others use different configurations like stationary tracks with gondolas that rotate outside the base of the main wheel.
Observation wheels are like Ferris wheels but with one key distinction. Instead of rotating continuously as traditional Ferris wheels do, observation wheels tend to remain stationary. Their passenger cars do not require tickets as the three gondolas arranged around each group can be moved around at will to give a bird's-eye view of different areas from above. They're popular at theme parks where they're used for lifting roller coaster trains onto their tracks for further adventures on their rides.
Ferris wheels come in all forms and sizes, from stationary observation wheels to larger models that hold over 60 passengers and take 20 minutes for two rotations, with six stops along their path to allow passengers to board or disembark.
Start building your DIY Ferris wheel by finding a sturdy dowel measuring four inches long, using a ruler and marker to mark two marks at four-inch intervals on it, to designate where hub connectors and base-connectors will go. When attached with a hot glue gun on its respective spots, set four full-length straw pieces aside as base legs; hot glue the base connectors onto them using an appropriate method, let dry for 24 hours, and color your straw legs to give your Ferris wheel its unique identity!