George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.
American civil engineer who created the original Ferris Wheel.
George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., a civil engineer from the United States, is remembered for designing the first Ferris Wheel, which debuted at the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. He was born on February 14, 1859, in Galesburg, Illinois—a town founded by his namesake, George Washington Gale. His parents were George Washington Gale Ferris Sr. and Martha Edgerton Hyde, and he had an older brother, Frederick Hyde, born in 1843. When Ferris was five, his family sold their dairy farm and moved to Nevada, living in Carson Valley for two years. From 1868 to 1890, his father owned the Sears–Ferris House in Carson City, a structure built around 1863 that later earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Ferris Sr. was an agriculturalist and horticulturalist who shaped much of Carson City’s landscaping in the 1870s, importing many trees from the East.
Ferris left Nevada in 1875 to attend the California Military Academy in Oakland, graduating in 1875. He then earned a degree in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, in 1881. At RPI, he was a charter member of the Chi Phi fraternity’s local chapter and belonged to the Rensselaer Society of Engineers; he was inducted into the institute’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998. Starting his career in the railroad industry, Ferris focused on bridge building and later founded G.W.G. Ferris & Co. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a company that tested and inspected metals for railroads and bridge builders. His home at 1318 Arch Street in Pittsburgh’s Central Northside was designated a historic structure by the city in 2001.
News of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago drew Ferris there. In 1891, the fair’s directors challenged American engineers to create a monument that would surpass the Eiffel Tower from the 1889 Paris International Exposition, seeking something “original, daring and unique.” Ferris proposed a wheel offering views of the entire exhibition, aiming to “out-Eiffel Eiffel.” He returned weeks later with endorsements from established engineers and local investors who covered the $400,000 construction cost. The Ferris Wheel featured 36 cars, each with 40 revolving chairs and room for up to 40 people, for a total capacity of 1,440. At the fair, it carried about 38,000 passengers daily, with a 20-minute ride consisting of two revolutions: the firs
- born
- February 14, 1859
- died
- November 22, 1896
- field
- Civil engineering
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition
Lore & Background
Ferris was born on February 14, 1859, in Galesburg, Illinois, a town founded by his namesake, George Washington Gale. His family moved to Nevada in 1864, living in Carson Valley for two years. He attended the California Military Academy in Oakland, graduating in 1875, and later earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1881, where he was a charter member of the Chi Phi fraternity and a member of the Rensselaer Society of Engineers.
Ferris began his career in the railroad industry, focusing on bridge building, and founded G.W.G. Ferris & Co. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to test and inspect metals. In 1891, the directors of the World's Columbian Exposition challenged American engineers to conceive a monument surpassing the Eiffel Tower. Ferris proposed a wheel from which visitors could view the ent
Reader's Guide
George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.'s significance lies in his creation of the original Ferris Wheel, a monumental engineering achievement for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Responding to a challenge to surpass the Eiffel Tower, Ferris designed a wheel that became an iconic symbol of the fair and a lasting fixture in amusement parks worldwide. His wheel demonstrated the potential of large-scale structural engineering for public entertainment, carrying 2.5 million passengers before its demolition in 1906. Despite the wheel's commercial success, Ferris faced legal disputes over profits, which consumed his final years. His legacy endures through the ubiquitous Ferris wheel, a testament to his innovative vision. Ferris's career in civil engineering, including his work in railroad bridge building and metals inspection, underscores his technical expertise. He was posthumously inducted into the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998, and his former homes in Carson City and Pittsburgh have been recognized as historic structures. His story highlights both the triumphs and challenges of engineering innovation in the late 19th century.
Did You Know?
- Ferris was born in Galesburg, Illinois, a town founded by his namesake, George Washington Gale.
- He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1881 with a degree in Civil Engineering.
- The Ferris Wheel had 36 cars, each able to accommodate up to 60 people, for a total capacity of 2,160.
- After the fair, Ferris spent two years in litigation, claiming the exhibition management robbed him and his investors of their share of the nearly $750,000 profit.
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