Field Museum Celebrates Anniversary Of First Ferris Wheel Ride

CHICAGO (CBS) -- You won't get to go for a spin, but the Field Museum is celebrating today the world's first Ferris Wheel ride, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.

The Ferris Wheel was created in 1893 by George Ferris for the World's Fair in Chicago, as readers of "Devil in the White City" know.

Field Museum spokeswoman Emily Waldren says while there were a few test runs before, it was 121 years ago Saturday that history was made.

"On June 21 in 1893, that was actually the first time that the public got to ride the Ferris Wheel," said Waldren.

Rides were 50 cents and the wheel, which was 100 feet taller than the one at Navy Pier today, could carry 2,160 people. The Field Museum celebrated with a replica and musical performances as part of its exhibit featuring some items which haven't been seen since the fair.

"These have all been in our collection since 1893 when the museum was founded," said Waldron.

They include taxidermied animals, archival photographs and Peruvian mummies. The exhibit runs through September.