Mr. Ferris and His Wheel: An Illustrated Biography about the Engineer Who Invented the Ferris Wheel for Kids
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What is a Ferris wheel and who invented it?
This is Believe. One network, every topic, everywhere. Okay, our friends So today we are reading a story for you. For all of our friends who maybe are going to the fall festivals, like fair, that's happening right now. Or if you're going to a theme park or something, or even if you live in a city like where we live, we live in a city that has a giant Ferris wheel in it. It's in Seattle, the great big one. Downtown. Some other cities have really big ones too. There's one in London called The Eye and it's really fancy. But we're gonna talk about what is a Ferris wheel. And who invented this? And what what is this all about? So you're gonna learn some cool stuff today. So today's story is Mr Ferris and His Wheel.
It was written by Catherine Gibbs Davis, illustrated by Gilbert Ford, and read today by Mommy. And Roof? Are you a puppy? A very cute puppy. Oh, hello puppy. What kind of dog are you? Ms. Ooh, a barky one. I love that. A licking and barking dog. That Whoa, Slurpee. Um, that seems right for a dog. I I'm gonna be honest with you. Licky, Slurpee, Barf Barky, yeah. What can you be a good boy? Who's it? Uh he follows commands. He's a well trained dog. Are you ready for your story, doggy? Mummy and Douggy. Sounds good.
Why did the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair need a new attraction?
All right. Are you ready for your story? It starts out with a quote. A pretty important one that says Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's minds. Whoa. And that was written by Daniel H. Burnham, who was an American architect and the construction chief for the 1893 World's Fair. Which may be kind of confusing. But I'm going to explain to you why that's important. Are you ready? It was only ten months until the next world's fair. But everyone was still talking about the star attractions of the last World Fair. At eighty one stories, France's Eiffel Tower. Was the world's tallest building. Its pointy iron and air towers soared so high that the visitors at the top could see Paris in one breathtaking sweep.
And we can see a picture of The Eiffel Tower. It's kind of fun to make one of those like out of Popsicle sticks or something, right? Completed in 1889, the Eiffel Tower stood at 986 feet, surpassing America's Washington Monument, to become the world's tallest man-made structure. And the Washington monument is pretty tall too. It's in Washington DC. Now it was America's turn to impress the world at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. But what could outshine the famous French tower and who would build it? A nationwide contest was announced. What could they do? Before TV and the internet, people from around the globe gathered at world fairs. To share their different ways of life and new technologies. Tasty inventions such as the hamburger.
And the Cracker Jack first appeared here. At World's Fairs. Contest drawings poured in from around the country, but most of the plans looked like the Eiffel Tower, only bigger. The fair judges said no to every last one. Was this really the best that American engineers could muster? To an ambitious young mechanical engineer, this contest Was more than a dare.
How did George Ferris’s engineering background shape his design?
It was a matter of national pride. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. had already designed some of the country's biggest bridges and tunnels and roads. He could never allow a French tower to overshadow America's world's fair. Why, hadn't the United States built the world's first skyscraper? George had seen the elegant steel frame rise ten stories high before his own eyes. Uh huh, so you see, just like when we go to the Olympics and all the different countries try to beat each other. Same situation, only now it's in architecture. supported by a metal frame instead of solid walls, Chicago's home insurance building was the world's first skyscraper. Bird cages were the inspiration for the metal phrase. George had an idea.
An idea for a structure that would dazzle and move, and not just stand still like the Eiffel Tower. Back at his drawing board in Pittsburgh, he and his engineer partner, William Grono. Measured And re measured a mistake of even an inch. could bring their invention crashing down. So this is a very precise science, right?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is a Ferris wheel and who invented it?
0:01–1:49
2
Why did the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair need a new attraction?
1:49–4:45
3
How did George Ferris’s engineering background shape his design?
4:45–7:25
4
What challenges did Ferris face building the wheel’s foundation?
7:25–10:10
5
How was the massive steel structure assembled and tested?
10:10–13:01
6
What happened on opening day when the wheel finally turned?
13:01–15:57
7
How did the Ferris wheel influence future fairs and amusement rides?
15:57–19:44
8
What is the legacy of the Ferris wheel today and its record‑holding successors?
19:44–21:32