The Ferris Wheel
A Poetic Tribute to George Washington Gale Ferris,
born February 14, 1859
by Sarah Blundy

There once was a man named George Washington Gale Ferris
Who wanted to build something even better than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

George went to college and earned an engineering degree,
He loved to build roads and bridges and tunnels, you see.

He heard about a meeting for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago
He presented a grand idea to the planning board, but they said NO!

They thought George was crazy, they wouldn't approve the deal,
There was no way that he could build a 250-foot wheel!

But George kept on trying and put his friends to the test,
He soon had support from other engineers who said his design was the best.

The Fair board finally agreed, though they thought George was funny,
They didn't think that he would be able to raise enough money.

But George was determined to see his dream come true,
Persistence was his best virtue.

Workers in Detroit, Michigan, worked with a huge amount of steel,
Soon, they had formed a gigantic bicycle wheel.

The parts were shipped to Chicago by railroad car
Including a 45-ton axle, the biggest axle from near or far.

George and his workers labored hard to get the wheel ready for the Fair,
People began to anticipate seeing a site so rare.

On opening day, thousands gathered around the site
However, many were filled with dread and fright.

Never before had they seen something so tall,
Some quivered with fear, but some weren't scared at all.

Dressed in fancy ball gowns and sipping wine,
The very first Ferris Wheel passengers boarded three hours before nine.

Six cars were loaded at a time, holding 40 passengers in each,
As the cars climbed, the people could see Lake Michigan and even the beach!

The mighty wheel held 2,000 voyagers per trip,
Never once did the Ferris wheel slip.

Over 1.5 million visitors rode the Ferris wheel that year,
For the price of 50 cents, it was quite a thrill, they would hear.

After the fair was over, the giant wheel was taken down
Then transferred to St Louis to thrill another town.

Eventually, people stopped visiting the poor Ferris wheel,
So it was dismantled and sold as plain old steel.

George Ferris brought a smile to the faces of many folks
As they rode around the wheel's enormous spokes.

In February, celebrate the birthday of this man
If you ride a Ferris wheel, you are sure to be his fan.

Spring is coming soon and then summer too,
It's never too early to figure out what you're going to do.

Click here to see a photo of the original ferris wheel! 

Click here for a list of county fairs in Michigan!

Sources:

Interactive Guide to the World's Columbian Exposition

AmusementHistory.com

The Engines of Our Ingenuity

Photo by Michigan State Fair Photographer Paul James