When you first enter a state or county fair, what is one of the first things you see?  The Ferris wheel, of course!  This classic ride has been around for over 125 years and is a crowd favorite. The first Ferris wheel was designed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.  The finished ride rose 264 feet off the ground, making it the tallest structure at the fair.  It was forged in Pittsburgh by the Bethlehem Iron Company and weighed over 168 tons.  It had 36 passenger compartments, each able to fit up to 60 people.  From the time a passenger boarded the Ferris wheel, to the time he or she got off, the total ride was 20 minutes – two complete circuits around the wheel.  The ride cost 50¢ per person, equal to over $75 in 2019! After the World's Columbian Exposition and the popularity of the Ferris wheel, other fairs began building them, too.  Eventually, they became one of the most popular rides in the world.  An informal competition even began to see who could build the tallest Ferris wheel.  As of 2019, the tallest was the 550-foot-tall "High Roller" in Las Vegas.  Who knows how tall Ferris wheels could be in the future?! In the end, no matter where you ride a Ferris wheel, how tall it is, or who you share the trip with, nothing beats the stunning view from the top.