Ferris Wheel: How the Eiffel Tower wasn't good enough

In this radio commentary, Bill tells the story of the origins of an engineering marvel found at every amusement park, the Ferris Wheel. This radio piece was first broadcast February 15, 2005. Visit this link to view complete list of media attributions goo.gl/fmGESM.

[@greg55666]

"They already had a chocolate Venus de Milo and a 22,000 lb. cheese in the Wisconsin pavilion, but they wanted more." That's the funniest thing you've ever said.

[@fartdonkey8290]

MURICA

[@ShaunDreclin]

Why is the world's fair not a thing any more? I want more crazy engineering feats! :D

[@SimaanFreeloader]

***** The real question is why don't the World Fairs still do awesome things like this, the Crystal Palace and the Eiffel Tower.

[@Lerkero]

Simon G Most of the money for a project like that would likely get wasted on nepotism, overcharges, and other corruption. I'm sure there are decent people with good ideas, but they likely don't have the influence.

[@tsaptsap]

I want metric units....at least as a text in video editing

[@tylersimpson2974]

It is, just not in the US. Germany 2003 Rostock Thailand 2006-7 Chiang Mai Netherlands 2012 Floriade in Venlo Turkey 2016 Antalya

[@OfficialDutchWalrus]

Tyler Simpson the floriade was a world expo? Shit, I just went there to look at pretty flowers and nice hammocks

[@dg-hughes]

The three building skyscapers connected on the top in Marin Bay, Singapore is pretty impressive too.

[@thefrub]

I've never heard the term "illustrated commentary" but it's so accurate to all of these infotainment youtube videos. And it's a wonderful thing, I'm a really visual person, so seeing something to go along with a monologue makes the information so much more interesting.

[@sprocket2cog]

wonder what the theoretical size limit is for a Ferris wheel.

[@Exigentable]

Crank out more of these, they're just as interesting as a full-production video. Don't hold back, lay it on me thick.

[@Exigentable]

that stock photo work is pretty good too.

[@currymeiser]

They're coming every Tuesday morning for the foreseeable future! Source: I help make them :D

[@StephenButlerOne]

The Millennium wheel in London is actually called the 'London eye'. I've never heard it referred to as the Millennium wheel. Maybe that was it's code name? We do have a Millennium bridge in London over the Themes, it rain into 'bounce' issues and had to be closed and never opened until years after the Millennium. We also have a Millennium Dome, a true white elephant if there was ever one. A billion dollar (empty) tent.

[@ivanclark2275]

I think it was officially called the Millennium Wheel and colloquially called the London Eye? I could be though.

[@zaltaire]

London Eye opened in the year 2000. "millennium" wheel. get it? lol

[@TheStraatjutter]

London eye sounds so much cooler. nicknames where i live are always in endearing mock , stuff like the 'penguin rock' or even the 'tits'. ( it's a sky-scraper with two a pointed roof, i think it's by Michael Graves the guy who did the bird kettle, but that could be the building behind it)

[@AndyLundell]

It's changed official names a few times. It is currently known as "The Coca-Cola London Eye".

[@phoebexxlouise]

Stephen Butler London eye is slang like Big Ben

[@guhcdn]

Man, what an awesome channel. I don't normally subscribe to anything but you sir have gained one more. Keep it up!

[@eskilseter]

I always figured "Ferris" referred to the latin name for iron (Ferrum), but it's actually the name of the creator of the Ferris Wheel. Neat.

[@allanrichardson1468]

Eskil Sæter A misspelling or typo would result in "ferrous" wheel, which is also an accurate description, unless it's made of aluminum or titanium.

[@Firejet4.]

Firas / ferris " same pronunciation “ is an arabic name that I have , it means lion and smartness.

[@RiaRadioFMHD773]

The High Roller, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, is 167.6 metres (550 ft) tall. It opened to the public on March 31, 2014, and is currently the world's tallest Ferris wheel.

[@Taneth]

So just a pure coincidence that it's one letter away from ferrus, literally "iron" wheel.

[@HeardTheSound]

Also sounds like Paris Wheel. Whoa.....

[@jamesslick4790]

George Ferris lived on Pittsburgh's North Side when he designed his wheel. The system that held the wheel stationary was made by Westinghouse Air Brake Company of Wilmerding,PA and that massive axle was made in Bethlehem,PA - When they created Point State Park at Pittsburgh, They should ha built a big ass Ferris wheel as it's signature landmark, but no, we just got a big fountain. Meh.

[@Kombaiyashii]

learned so many things in that 3 minutes...

[@FolkBlue]

I just love your channel thanks for sharing this. I love the Ferris Wheel and this was a charming and fun video.

[@Angie2343]

One of the coolest theme park rides ever!

[@brianipmh]

That proper siting at the end. GJ.

[@CybershamanX]

I highly recommend reading _The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson._ He talks a lot about the wheel and its construction/testing. He also juxtaposes the amazing "White City" with a certain mass murder/serial killer H. H. H. Holmes who set up shop in Chicago and converted his hotel into a chamber of horrors. Fascinating stuff.

[@MattDarez]

Loved it. Keep the videos coming =]

[@mars7357]

I wish more people would set out to do more engineering feats in todays age

[@s0nnyburnett]

Shame the lone engineer making his idea come true is dead nowadays. It's all about teams and you can't do that because it's not safe or socially acceptable. While teamwork usually leads to better results it can also stifle progress and water down good ideas just to meet the groups approval. Sometimes one person's idea is good enough on its own and will get done much faster without 5, 10 or 15 people in charge of one thing.

[@BayviewFinch]

Maybe you can find a corner to cry in.

[@josephmiles1130]

As a recent electrical engineering graduate who has been in many different teams I couldn't agree more with you.

[@gooseknack]

The greatest problem with teamwork... Is "ego", can get in the way. Teamwork has its place.. Only works if ego is put aside. As for the lone engineer? He/she, still exists. You simply don't hear much about them. Because they credit the "team" that made the idea happen. With a team to enact an idea, it remains an idea. I'm sure Mr Ferris didn't build his wheel, himself, single-handedly. He likely had a team of men who built it to his specs. A team who likely saw no credit for their hard work.

[@subliminalvibes]

Great video!

[@wrightcubbins]

When the first image you see is Exstacy, you now you're in the right place...

[@ethaneveraldo]

That one was more of a history video, would have liked to see the engineering behind it

[@NRsully21]

Ferris went to my school back in the day!

[@basteagui]

did he use to take a day off??

[@hoosherdaddy]

Great video, not sure why but it reminded me of old "Mr Wizard."

[@djolley61]

The 1893 fair was a marvel, and let us not forget that its white buildings inspired the line "whose alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears" in the song, America the Beautiful.

[@666Tubata]

I think the videos should start using the SI system or at least show the equivalent measurement values in SI system...you know, for us outside the US. Thanks!

[@uberLejoe]

there is an outside US? no way... It's around 15 meters tall (the US first version) the London version is around 135 meters, The Singapore is around 150 meters :) Hope it helps! -Someone Inside the US

[@notahotshot]

Your request is still under review. It's not looking good.

[@HaouasLeDocteur]

MOAR!!

[@juddpoland2557]

thank you

[@BayviewFinch]

Thank you.

[@KustomFu]

what a nice happy story

[@Wazgrel]

Awesome video! Thank you! Also this whole thing made me feel that I'm playing Civilization 5.

[@MrAmalsam]

I went on one of those with my nieces, not thinking it would be much of a ride. Boy was I wrong. LOL

[@MCO18]

I live in George Ferris's hometown, Galesburg, IL!

[@BillySugger1965]

It's not just the Millennium Wheel that was renamed, we don't call these things Ferris Wheels in the UK. We view that as a quaint Americanism! They usually have individual names, or are just called The Big Wheel as a generic thing. Kind of like we don't have Carousels, we have Merry-Go-Rounds! Two nations: divided by a common language ;-)

[@scienceninja14]

A feat of engineering from my home town of Galesburg :D

[@RezaAP]

High Roller in Las Vegas is now the highest roller, almost 165m taller than Singapore Flyer

[@chronnotrigg]

The High Roller was announced in 2011, the one in Singapore was open in 2008, this audio was recorded in 2005.

[@TheVino3]

chronnotrigg Whats your point? He was just stating that there is a Ferris Wheel taller than the Singapore Flyer.

[@chronnotrigg]

***** His comment read like it was correcting an error in the video except it wasn't an error. So my comment was correcting that error. His comment can be read as just a statement of fact (so can mine), but it wasn't worded that way (nether was mine).

[@TheVino3]

chronnotrigg On the contrary, I read his comment as if it was saying "If you think that the Singapore Flyer is *still* the highest Ferris Wheel, the High Roller now in Las Vegas is actually taller". I read his comment as an addition to the information given in the video, not a correction to it.

[@chronnotrigg]

***** That's the problem with text, it can leave too much to the imagination of the reader. You saw it as an addendum, I saw it as a correction. Since it wasn't specified in the comment, we're just going to have to accept that.

[@EcchiBANZAII-desu]

Ironic that we called it the Paris Wheel in Sweden.

[@XxMrDudexX]

+Ecchi-BANZAII!!! I know! Same in Norwegian :P

[@0YouCanCallMeAl0]

+Ecchi-BANZAII!!! Stand in line, it's "devil's mill / wheel" in Polish :)

[@KazimirQ7G]

+Ecchi-BANZAII!!! Giant Wheel in Portuguese.

[@KevinAustin9]

+0YouCanCallMeAl0 It's Devil's wheel in Georgian as well.

[@Igor-ug1uo]

+Kakhi Sanikidze Same in Russian and Ukrainian :) We call it Devil's wheel or Observation wheel.

[@infiltrator7777]

Wasn't that the same Chicago fair which Tesla powered the lights? A first of its time!

[@TheBandit7613]

The Las Vegas wheel, the High Roller, is 550' high.

[@mishu0102]

the picture for the world fair looks like Flushing, NY, not Chicago.

[@mv152]

It is. That had to be a mistake.

[@DiCasaFilm]

+Joon Park Totally Queens at the site of the 1964 World's Fair. There was also the 1939 World's Fair there as well, but the iconic Globe you see in that photo is from the '64 Fair. The '39 Fair did not have the globe, but a giant white sphere.

[@NicholasCrensen]

All great ideas are first viewed as outlandish

[@AbandonedMaine]

What a great legacy for the original engineerguy, Charles Kettering and his weekly radio show on Science and Invention. Think I should do the rest of his broadcasts?

[@nunyab2571]

yer awesome luke skywalker thanks for this video

[@fraenzchen85]

Corey Walsh there are variations kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3K6dIZ6l9llqLM

[@MICHGO1]

:13 WORLD'S FAIR NY '64-'65. THE UNISPHERE AND THE TOWERS ON THE LEFT ARE STILL THERE.

[@aditxman]

First nice to see you around sir

[@FatalShotGG]

You should make a video titled "Why Paris Smells Like Piss"

[@Nidaroz]

Curious, in Sweden we call it "Paris Wheel" and not anything related to Ferris..

[@Juliusarna]

Same in Iceland. Kinda ironic considering what Bill said in the video.

[@Nidaroz]

Yep!

[@alekmoth]

Considering how its got it's original name, I think we can assume that it is Paris is a bastardization of the word. "Did he say Farris wheel? No must have been Paris wheel."

[@rfmjsdb9879]

czechs call it the "russian wheel" for some reason... edit: did some research and turns out Ferris didn't invent the wheel, it was already known to russians in the 17th century

[@orgminyak]

The one in Singapore has been open since 2008

[@orgminyak]

Ls9819 Opps my fault there

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Hi. Very nice. Thanks. We should revive the World Fair, retain the same name. God bless, Proverbs 31

[@anujgoalie]

if any of u have a chance. read devil in the white city- set during the time of the 1893 world fair. great book too.

[@idnwiw]

Thanks for giving the weight of the wheel in kg - but please also give the height in m

[@TheRaveBarn]

George Washington Gale Ferris is my Great Great Uncle :)

[@Alienalloy]

That vid was 'wheely' good....anyone see what i did there, eh, eh?.... "i'll get my hat"

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

what ever happened to the wheel? was it scrapped? is it still there?

[@jamesslick4790]

Ronald Tartaglia It was moved twice (to Lincoln Park and later to St Louis) and then blown up with dynamite around 1906.

[@nate6692]

If built from aluminum, it becomes a non-ferrous wheel.

[@Atraira]

COMMENT BOX

[@DidivsIvlianvs]

Millennium is misspelled.

[@McDADDyK]

I hate Ferris wheels...they are very uneventful. First time I went on the London Eye, I fell asleep...and the second time 7 years later.

[@Stormin.93]

Isn't it mean to be pronounced 'ferris well'?

[@notanimposter]

Ferris actually copied the idea from William Somers, though, who had already built three smaller wheels in New Jersey and New York.

[@fredeagle8766]

I call them "the big wheel'. I've been on one but flying at 3000ft is much better.