In 1893, Chicago, Illinois, decided to have a World’s Fair.
The people in charge invited inventors from all over America to send in their ideas for something that would make the fair a great success. One American came up with a wonderful idea.
He built a huge wheel that was 25 stories high. He had swinging seats attached to it that carried people on an exciting ride in the sky. You guessed it. The ferris wheel, named after its inventor, George W. Ferris, was born.
His wonderful wheel was the hit of the fair, and today cousins of this first Ferris wheel give people exciting rides in carnivals and amusement parks all over the country.
