Why George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. Invented the Ferris Wheel
A strange story of jealousy and pride and millionaires
1889 was a big year for France. It was the country’s turn to host the next World’s Fair — an international exposition of technology and architecture.
It was also the year a new monument took over the record for the world’s tallest freestanding structure.
Initially mocked for its sexy curves and strange outcropping, the Eiffel Tower soon became a monument of Paris. Within 6 months of opening at the Exposition Universelle — for those romantic wine lovers amongst us — it received almost 2 million visitors.
The former tallest structure? The Washington Monument.
Now that shouldn’t be a notable thing until you think about two small considerations:
- Americans were not fond of being outdone on the world stage
- It was America’s turn to host the next World’s Fair in 1893
Fight!
Chicago, 1893
The 1890s were a hectic decade. There was a worldwide financial crisis going on.
The Spanish-American War was just around the corner. Strikes were raging across the US. X-Rays were invented — to the early…
