February 14th is the annual observance of National Ferris Wheel Day. The 14th of February is the birth day of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr, the inventor of the Ferris Wheel.
Preparations for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition began in earnest in 1891. Director of works for the fair, Daniel H. Burnham, laid out a challenge: create a centrepiece to the show that would rival the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
George Ferris came up with an idea, a ride that could take passengers and would rival the Eiffel Tower. Burnham baulked at this idea, doubting it could safely carry people to such heights, but ferris persisted. He spent $25 000 of his own money on safety studies, obtained $600 000more from investors, hired engineers and built the 250 foot diameter wheel, and hoisted it up between two twin towers.
Budding engineers at school and students who love theme parks enjoy reading about Ferris. You will be surprised to see just how many books there are about George Ferris and his engineering feat.
I'm seriously impressed that there are so many books about ferris wheels. I remember our school art teacher once asked me for books about this and I had nothing to give her. I needed your library and your expertise.
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