A Ferris wheel on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, USA.

A Ferris wheel (or, more commonly in the UK, big wheel) is a nonbuilding structure consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondolas suspended from the rim. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3872x2592, 4416 KB) Please note: This image was originally uploaded to commons licensed as noted below, per the uploader. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3872x2592, 4416 KB) Please note: This image was originally uploaded to commons licensed as noted below, per the uploader. ... Ocean City is the name of some places in the United States of America: Ocean City, Florida Ocean City, Maryland and West Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, New Jersey This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Nonbuilding structures, also referred to simply as structures, are those not designed for continuous human occupancy. ...

Ferris wheels are a common type of amusement park ride and may also be found at many urban parks and public places around the world. Flying Scooter ride at Kings Island, Ohio An assortment of rides at the Royal Melbourne Show Rollercoaster FX in MoviePark Germany An Enterprise Amusement ride in Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon Breakdance Ride, Royal Melbourne Show 2005 Dodgem Cars, Royal Melbourne Show 2005 An amusement ride is any number... A Central Park landscape An urban park, also known as a municipal park, is a park that is built in cities mostly to reduce air pollution and as a place to relax. ...

History

Drawing of a 17th-century precursor to the Ferris wheel.

The earliest model of the ferris wheel was called the ups and downs it was hand cranked and is believed to have given George Ferris inspiration. (as shown to the left) image of early ferris wheel, drawn by me after a 17th Century engraving File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... image of early ferris wheel, drawn by me after a 17th Century engraving File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The modern Ferris wheel is named after George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., who designed an 80 meter (264 feet) wheel for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois in 1893. It was designed as a rival to the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris exhibition. This first wheel could carry 2,160 persons at a time; The Ferris wheel was the largest attraction at the Columbian Exposition standing over 250' tall and powered by two 1000 HP steam engines. There were 36 cars each the size of a school bus that accommodated 60 people each (20 seated, 40 standing). It took 20 minutes for the wheel to make two revolutions - the first to make six stops to allow passengers to exit and enter; the 2nd a single non-stop revolution - and for that, the ticket holder paid 50 cents. The wheel was moved twice after the 1893 Fair and was eventually destroyed (by controlled demolition) in 1904 after it was used at the St. Louis exposition of that year. At 70 tons, its axle was the largest steel forging of the time. It was 26 stories tall, only a quarter of the Eiffel Tower's height.^[1] George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. ... One-third scale replica of Daniel Chester Frenchs Republic, which stood in the great basin at the exposition, Chicago, 2004 The Worlds Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago Worlds Fair), a Worlds Fair, was held in Chicago in 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... The Eiffel Tower (French: , ) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris, France. ... (Redirected from 1889 Paris exhibition) The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a Worlds Fair held in Paris, France from May 5, to October 31, 1889. ...

A portable Ferris wheel in England

Another famous Ferris wheel with a height of 65 meters (213 feet), dating back to 1897, is the Riesenrad in Vienna's Prater in the second district of Leopoldstadt. It was designed by Hubert Cecil Booth. See also World's Fair... Ferris wheel at a fair in Yate, Bristol, England. ... Ferris wheel at a fair in Yate, Bristol, England. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Riesenrad, seen from the outside of the Prater The Riesenrad (meaning giant wheel) is a Ferris wheel at the entrance of the Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... The Wiener Prater is a large public park in Viennas second district. ... Haidgasse in Leopoldstadt The Volksprater amusement park in the Wiener Prater The Hauptallee in the Prater Leopoldstadt (Leopold-Town) is Viennas second district. ... Hubert Cecil Booth was born in Gloucester, England on the 4th of July 1871 and died at Purley, Surrey, England on the 18th of January 1955. ... The Weltausstellung 1873 Wien was the large World exposition which was held in 1873 in the Austrian-hungarian capital of Vienna. ...

London, UK had its very own 'Gigantic Wheel' built at Earls Court in 1895, which was modelled on the original one in Chicago. This wheel stayed in service until 1906 by which time it had carried over 2.5 million passengers. It was built by two young Australian engineers named Adam Gaddelin and Gareth Watson and was the first of over 200 ferris wheels that they built world-wide. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Earls Court is a place in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

For the 1900 Paris Exposition a 'Grande Roue', of similar size and design to Ferris', was constructed and kept in operation until its demolition in 1937. The French wheel operated 40 cars (as opposed to Chicago's 36), and is clearly visible in photos of the 1900 exhibition. [1] The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a worlds fair held in Paris, France, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. ...

The London Eye, in London, England, measuring 135 meters high had until very recently been the world's largest, but has since been eclipsed by the The Star of Nanchang [2]. Located in the Chinese city of Nanchang , Jiangxi Province , this new Ferris wheel measures 162 meters high. Sky Dream Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan, at 112 meters in diameter and 120 meters (394 feet) from ground to top, is the largest Ferris wheel in Asia. At 65 meters (212 feet), The Texas Star at Fair Park is the largest ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere, excluding the London Eye. The wheel opened in 1985 and has a maximum capacity of 260 persons.'''''' The London Eye is, as of December 2003, the largest observation wheel in the world (though often erroneously called a Ferris wheel). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... The Star of Nanchang, the worlds tallest ferris wheel, stands at 160 meters high and is located in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi Province. ... Nanchang (Chinese: 南昌; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. ... Jiangxi (Chinese: 江西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... Sky Dream Fukuoka, the giant Ferris wheel of Evergreen Marinoa (a Japanese outlet mall), doesnt only dominate Fukuoka, Japans western skyline. ... This page is about Fukuoka, Fukuoka (福岡市), a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... Fair Park is a 277 acre (112 hectare) recreational and educational complex located in Dallas, Texas (USA). ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Observation wheels

The London Eye

Main article: Observation wheel

Recent large Ferris wheels have been marketed as "observation" wheels to differentiate them from the smaller Ferris wheels, but ironically are more similar to the original Ferris wheel than the smaller modern wheels. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2100x1400, 1282 KB) Summary This photo is of the London Eye on the 7th of April 2006 as viewed from the rear. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2100x1400, 1282 KB) Summary This photo is of the London Eye on the 7th of April 2006 as viewed from the rear. ... The British Airways London Eye observation wheel on the banks of the River Thames near the Houses of Parliament, London, England Five capsules of the London Eye observation wheel. ...

One of the world's most famous observation wheels is the London Eye in London, United Kingdom, operated by British Airways. Its great popularity has led to a number of other cities, including Manchester, Birmingham and York (The Yorkshire Wheel), Moscow, Nanchang, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Melbourne and Singapore erecting, or proposing to erect, similar wheels. The London Eye at twilight The British Airways London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, opened in 1999 and is the largest observation wheel in the world. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Birmingham (pron. ... York is a city in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ... Nanchang (Chinese: 南昌; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. ... For other uses around the city, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Melbournes CBD has grown to straddle the Yarra River in three major precincts. ...

Double and triple wheels

This illustration, from U.S. patent 1,354,436, depicts a variant of the Ferris wheel with sliding gondolas. It was built at Coney Island in the 1920s, and still operates at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. A replica of this Ferris wheel can be found in Disney's California Adventure theme park.

In the mid to late 1970s, coaster giant Intamin AG invented a new twist on the common ferris wheel. Using long arms to hold the massive wheels, they created a way to load and unload ferris wheels more quickly. In 1976, 2 Sky Whirls opened at Marriott's Great America (IL, CA) and were the first triple wheels. Triple Wheels were attached to three long arms mounted equal distance in a circle on a central tower. When loading/unloading passengers, the 3 arms would rotate until one arm was at the loading area and hydraulics would bring that arm/wheel to the ground. ferris wheel graphic File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ferris wheel graphic File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Coney Island (disambiguation). ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Theme Park is a simulation computer game designed by Bullfrog Productions, released in 1994, in which the player designs and operates an amusement park. ... Expedition GeForce Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. ... Sky Whirl was an Intiman Triple Giant Ferris Wheel that operated at both Marriotts Great America Parks. ...

A two-arm version titled "Zodiac" was also installed at Kings Island in Ohio as well as Hersheypark in PA titled "Giant Wheel." The double wheels were attached to a long, straight arm. The arm was mounted in the center on a central tower. When the hydraulics lowered one side, the other raised. The centerpiece of Kings Island has always been its 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower. ...

The Kings Island Zodiac was relocated to Australia's Wonderland. Australia's Wonderland closed in 2004.

All models featured 8-10 passenger cages. The cages were attached to the wheels by chains. When the wheel was in the loading position, it was horizontal and all cages could be loaded at once. As the arm raised or rotated, the wheel moved to a vertical positon and provided a typical ferris-wheel ride, only much higher from the ground.

Another version of this ride existed at Magic Mountain in CA titled "Galaxy." This ride was similar to the Zodiac, except the arms did not raise as far off the ground. The arms on this ride were shaped more in a "V", than a straight line, and the central tower was shorter. On each wheel were 4 smaller wheels that also rotated, providing a double vertical rotating movement.

A 4th version of the ride was installed and removed at Astroworld in TX titled "Astrowheel." It was also similar to the Zodiac model, but had the shorter tower/"V" arm configuration of the Galaxy.

This was a great advance in capacity on the ride and loading time. This was one of the most spectacular appearing amusement rides to date. But today, none of them operate in the US.

More Ferris Wheels and Manufacturers

• Allan Herschell
  • Seattle Wheel--The Seattle Wheel has 15 cars with up to two people per car.
• Chance Morgan
  • Astro Wheel--There are 16 cars with up to two people per car. Half of the cars face one way, and the other half, the other way.
  • Century Wheel--This Ferris Wheel has 15 cars with up to four people per car.
  • Giant Wheel--This ride has 20 cars with up to six people per each car. This is one of the biggest Ferris Wheels out there.
  • Sky Wheel--This Ferris Wheel is a double Ferris Wheel. There is a wheel on top, and bottom of the ride. There are eight cars per each wheel with up to two people for each car.
• Childress
  • Expo Wheel There are 16 cars with up to two people per each car. The sitting on this Ferris Wheel is much like the Eli Bridge Hy #5, or Chance's Astro Wheel.
• Eli Bridge [3]
  • Eagle Wheel--This ride has 16 cars with up to three people per car.
  • Hy #5 Big Eli Wheel--Some of these rides are cable driven while others are rim driven. This ride has 12 cars with up to three people per car.
  • Little Wheel--This ride is much smaller in dimensions, but it still has 12 cars with up to two people per car.
• Intamin
  • Coaster Wheel--This type of Ferris Wheel is a little different. The reason for this is the fact that some of the cars actually move on a track in the middle of the wheel. There are 16 of these cars. There are also eight cars on the outside of the ride that do not move much, and do not have a track. One of these is located at Disney's California Adventure, and another is located at Coney Island. Each of these cars can hold up to six people.

The Sun Wheel at night as seen from across Paradise Bay. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

List of world's largest Ferris and observation wheels

A list of world's largest Ferris and observation wheels. This list is incomplete and should be completed and corrected, if necessary.

The Singapore Flyer (Chinese: 新加坡摩天观景轮) is an observation wheel to be built in Singapore by 2008. ... The Star of Nanchang, the worlds tallest ferris wheel, stands at 160 meters high and is located in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi Province. ... The London Eye at twilight The British Airways London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, opened in 1999 and is the largest observation wheel in the world. ... Sky Dream Fukuoka, the giant Ferris wheel of Evergreen Marinoa (a Japanese outlet mall), doesnt only dominate Fukuoka, Japans western skyline. ... HEP Five is a major shopping mall and entertainment center in the Umeda commercial district in Osaka, Japan. ... Tempozan Harbor Village Ferris wheel in Osaka, Japan With the height of 112. ... Ferris Wheel of Paris was a 100 metre Ferris Wheel, which was built in 1900 for the world exhibition at Paris. ... Fair Park is a 277 acre (112 hectare) recreational and educational complex located in Dallas, Texas (USA). ... The Riesenrad, seen from the outside of the Prater The Riesenrad (meaning giant wheel) is a Ferris wheel at the entrance of the Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. ... Steiger-60-metres Ferris Wheel is the largest transportable ferris wheel of the world. ... Roue De Paris in Geleen The Roue De Paris is a giant transportable ferris wheel, originally installed in Paris for the 2000 millennium celebrations. ... The Eye on Malaysia 2007 The Eye on Malaysia a day before the launch of Visit Malaysia Year. ... The second Birmingham Wheel The Wheel of Birmingham, generally known as the Birmingham Wheel was a 60m ferris wheel in Centenary Square, Birmingham, England, owned by World Tourist Attractions Ltd. ...

References

1. ^ Erik Larson. (2003) The Devil in the White City, page 258.

Erik Larson (born January 1, 1954) is an American author. ... The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America is a 2003 book by Erik Larson. ...

External links

• Singapore Flyer
• Ferris wheel patents
• Bellevue Ferris wheel at Luxembourg Schueberfouer
• Information about a Triple Wheel, Sky Whirl
• The Yorkshire Wheel A 54m observation wheel at the National Railway Museum, York, UK.
• London Eye Homepage
• Niagara SkyWheel Homepage
• Manchester City Council Wheel of Manchester Page
• World's Tallest Ferris Wheel - The Star of Nanchang
• A video of Eli bridge Erecting a Ferris Wheel in 1949

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Ride Manufacturer Sites

• Chance Morgan
• Eli Bridge
• Intamin