The Oldest Ferris Wheel In America
Coney Island looked a lot different in 1920. The Boardwalk did not yet exist, and the newly built Deno's Wonder Wheel pulled huge crowds right after it opened to the public. This eccentric Ferris wheel is widely considered the oldest of its kind (still turning) in America.
It kept going for more than a hundred years, giving more than 35 million rides, while keeping up a perfect safety record. As the landscape around the wheel changed to keep up with the times, the wheel itself gave people a way to hold on to nostalgia.
Deno's Wonder Wheel Stands Out Above The Rest
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Ferris wheels operating across the country. Deno's Wonder Wheel stands out as the oldest thanks to three criteria. It is still in working order and open to the public. It stands in a fixed location, and it still has its original steel frame and drive mechanics.
At the same time, it does not mean it is the oldest surviving Ferris wheel in the world. That distinction is awarded to the 1895 Phoenix Wheel, originally installed at Asbury Park in New Jersey after being built in Pennsylvania. It was moved back to Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and is now a landmark attraction. Since it no longer turns, it cannot take away the title from Deno's Wonder Wheel in this article.
A Project Unlike Any Other
When 17-year-old Charles Hermann immigrated to America, he worked as a machinist in Navy yards and ironworks throughout New York State. He later looked for and found work in San Francisco. While working, Hermann realized he would rather be entertaining people than slaving away at his job. His main objective was not to become rich, but to create something people would keep talking about in years to come.
It is said that Hermann and his friends started traveling on a wagon pulled by a donkey, making their way from San Francisco back to New York. It seemed a pointless exercise to many, until New York mayor John Purroy Mitchel took note of Hermann's journey and presented him with an opportunity. The opportunity resulted in Hermann's patent for the Wonder Wheel being approved in 1915. The amusement ride design featured upholstered, open cars that rolled off the main wheel structure. The cars would land on a platform, allowing people to climb on or off. Once everyone was settled, the cars would reattach to the wheel.
It was not easy to get the project off the ground, especially during the Great Steel Strike of 1919. However, Hermann and German immigrant Herman Garms worked hard to make a success of their business, Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company, and the Wonder Wheel was completed in 1920. Hermann sold all his shares after the wheel was installed on Coney Island, leaving the day-to-day operations to Garms.
Decades later, in 1983, Denos Vourderis, a Greek immigrant, bought the Wonder Wheel. He owned it for four years before buying all the property below the wheel and along Jones Walk. He paid nearly $1 million to create Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. He restored the Wonder Wheel, which had fallen into disrepair over the years, and the wheel became a New York City landmark in 1989.
The 1977 New York City Blackout
Deno's Wonder Wheel never missed a day of operation (in season) save when the New York City blackout of 1977 caught staff and riders unawares and for the 2020 seaons due to the pandemic. A city-wide power failure, during a heatwave, left people without electricity for more than 25 hours. While looting and violence threatened to envelop the city, staff at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park hand-cranked the 200-ton wheel to evacuate trapped passengers.
Riding Deno's Wonder Wheel Today
The Wonder Wheel still stands 150 feet above Coney Island today, and is marketed as the most 'romantic ride in the world.' Riders can experience the wheel in one of two ways. They can choose the red and blue cars or the white cars. The red and blue cars swing as the wheel turns (this is not for the faint of heart), while the white cars remain static. Deno's Wonder Wheel Park is open between May and October every year and also features the Phoenix Coaster and the Kiddie Park.
Other Record-Breaking Ferris Wheels
If one changes the criteria to include location, operation, and status, other Ferris wheels break some records too. For example, the 1903 Conderman Ferris Wheel in Florida was built in 1903 and donated by the Wheelock family in 1988. It is a portable wheel that is housed inside the International Independent Showmen's Museum in Gibsonton. It was once used for traveling carnivals and is the oldest surviving manufactured steel pleasure wheel structure in America. The wheel is intact and can still turn, but people are not allowed to ride it.
As mentioned above, the Phoenix Wheel is 25 years older than Deno's Wonder Wheel. It was constructed by the Phoenix Iron Company in 1895, and it operated at Palace Amusements in Asbury Park for nearly a hundred years before it closed in 1988. It was dismantled and moved back to Phoenixville as an outdoor, static monument.
Designed by the Eli Bridge Company and built in 1900, Illinois's Big Eli Wheel is a 45-foot portable wheel that traveled on fair circuits before being completely restored decades later. It now operates on Sundays during the summer at Community Park in Jacksonville. It is the oldest operating portable-model wheel, compared to Deno's Wonder Wheel, which is the oldest operating fixed-site wheel.
Keeping Up The Ferris Wheel Tradition
Ferris wheels are synonymous with American amusement parks and boardwalks. And in the grand old tradition of Ferris wheels, Los Angeles is planning to open the tallest wheel in California in 2027. The estimated cost is $500 million, and the completed wheel will stand 175 feet tall, a full 75 feet taller than the Pacific Wheel, which is 85 feet tall. The new wheel will change the skyline of the San Pedro neighborhood and will also include a seaside carousel in the 'Venetian' style.
Why Are Ferris Wheels So Popular?
Apart from those with a fear of heights, Ferris wheels appeal to everyone. They are not as terrifying as roller coasters, can amuse entire families, and they offer exceptional views. In some places, a Ferris wheel is also a sign of prosperity, as they transform city and neighborhood skylines.
And, of course, there is also nostalgia. People will keep following the pull of giant Ferris wheels because they remind them of a simpler time with family and friends.
