National Ferris Wheel Day:

Every year on the 14th of February, National Ferris Day is celebrated. This national holiday is the birthday of the inventor of the original Ferris Wheel, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.

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Related: Other National Days Celebrated on February 14th:

Valentine’s Day

National Organ Donor Day

National Cream filled Chocolate Day

Why National Ferris Wheel Day?

The 14th day of February is observed as the National Ferris Wheel Day to honor the Pennsylvanian structural engineer, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., who is the inventor of the Ferris Wheel, also popularly known as a giant wheel, observation wheel, big wheel, or the Chicago Wheel.

This wheel is an amusement ride first launched in 1893 as a main attracting landmark of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Daniel H. Burnham, who was directing the entire fair of 1893 of the World’s Columbian Exposition, was determined with the challenge of representing something extremely unique that could compete as a rival with the fame of the Eiffel Tower of Paris, which was established a year before and was at its pick of success attracting people throughout the world. Many concepts and ideas were introduced before George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. came up with his idea.

One evening in Chicago, sitting in a chophouse, Ferris suddenly cooked up the idea of this wheel that was about to change the future of the amusement rides. At first, he scribbled his idea on napkins and then properly executed his concepts in actual blueprints.

His idea was not approved by Burnham, keeping in mind the doubtful thoughts regarding its capability and the safety of the passengers who were going to ride that wheel on such heights. But Ferris was confident and believed in his invention; he assured that by paying an amount of $25,000 as the cost of safety studies. The rest expenses were sponsored by the investors, which $600,000 to be exact. Multiple engineers were employed, and finally, after two years, a wheel with 250-foot diameter was hoisted on a height of 26-stories between a pair of towers which was 40-foot high.

This Ferris Wheel brought huge fair success and a profit of 4726,805.50. Despite such huge success George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. had to struggle a lot and was bankrupt. He was left by his wife and died suffering from typhoid, alone, at the age of only 37 years.

His invention, the original Ferris Wheel, also had a pathetic fate. In the year 1904, this ride was shifted to St. Louis, Missouri, in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and unfortunately, it was demolished for scrap metal in 1906 with dynamite.

Neither the Ferris Wheel nor its inventor survived, but the idea and the name of George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. live long.

How Can We Observe National Ferris Wheel Day:

This can be celebrated by celebrating the invention, which can be done by taking a ride of this wheel and enjoy its thrilling experience. This enjoyment will get doubled if shared with friends, family, and loved ones, reaching huge heights and getting a glance of the beautiful landscape below. Its refreshing experience can be further shared on social media by posting pictures and videos while riding with the captions suggesting #NationalFerrisWheelDayCelebration, #HappyFerrisWheelDay, #RideontheFerrisWheel, etc.

Interesting Facts about National Ferris Wheel Day:

• This wheel has multiple compartments that carry its passengers, called passenger cars, pods, cabins, capsules, or tubs.
• This is an amusement ride with a wheel that is kept upright by the gravitational force and is attached to a rim, making the wheel turn.
• The inventor of the original Ferris Wheel, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., was a structural engineer who belonged from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He inspected steel for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
• As we all know, the shape of the Ferris Wheel is a circle. The scientific explanation behind its geometrical shape is that the circle allows more passengers to ride it, which would have been quite problematic if it was square or triangle or any other shape.
• The centripetal acceleration is being used by the Ferris Wheel while moving. The term centripetal means “center seeking.

History of National National Ferris Wheel Day:

There is no exact information from which year this day is being observed or who created this day. There is no such historical evidence about the beginning of this unofficial holiday of the National Ferris Wheel Day.