The World's First Ferris Wheel

The first Ferris wheel in history was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, designed by bridge engineer George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. It stood 264 feet tall, weighed over 2 million pounds, and could carry 2,160 riders at a time in its 36 cars. Ferris designed the wheel specifically to outdo the Eiffel Tower, which had dazzled visitors at the 1889 Paris World's Fair. The ride cost 50 cents, a steep price at the time, and the wheel became the sensation of the entire exposition.

Source: Wikipedia