Gerry Hall Photo
Ever since it was erected, I have had my eye on that magnificent Ferris wheel on Seattle’s waterfront. On a recent sunny Sunday, our family made a day of going out on the town by visiting the heart of Seattle.
The Seattle Great Wheel is a wonderful destination, and on a clear day the view is spectacular. The wheel extends 40 feet beyond the end of Pier 57 over Elliott Bay. Our party of six filled one of the 42 gondolas and our 20-minute ride was three full revolutions of the wheel.
The day was particularly beautiful with Puget Sound sparkling, and we could see as far away as Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Our closer view of Seattle’s waterfront and the city’s skyscrapers was fun, too. We enjoyed identifying the many buildings, including the Smith Tower, a building that has stood for 100 years. Now dwarfed by other buildings, it was once the tallest building on the West Coast.
This latest Seattle icon was built in less than a year and opened to the public in 2012. The wheel, manufactured in Europe and the United States, was assembled right at the end of Pier 57. Standing 175 feet tall, Seattle Great Wheel weighs 280,300 pounds. Its foundation consists of 550 tons of concrete.
The Seattle Great Wheel’s enclosed gondolas are climate-controlled, allowing twelve-month operation, no matter the weather. From inside, passengers have a 360-degree view.
At night, the wheel is lit up with white gondola lights. On special occasions, such as the evenings of University of Washington or Seattle Seahawks home football games, or on holiday evenings, the wheel features an LED light show.
The Seattle Great Wheel is the third in North America with this design, following Niagara SkyWheel in Canada, also 175 feet, and the 187 foot Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina. The Seattle Great Wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water.
The United States’ first Ferris wheel appeared in Chicago at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 and was a creation of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. It was the largest attraction at the World Fair and was hugely popular. Today, the Ferris wheel is a major attraction at county fairs, large and small. It’s a grand way to look around the fair itself and nearby countryside.
The Seattle Great Wheel. It operates daily. Consult their website for hours, prices and announcements: www.seattlegreatwheel.com
Thanks for this wonderful information. I’ll forward it to my daughter and son-in-law, so they can take the boys on the WHEEL when to visit Seattle next time.
How fun for them! And they can all ride in the same gondola, too.
I’ve watched that wheel for several years on trips to Seattle. So far, I haven’t gathered the courage to get in it. Kudos to you! Thanks for the fascinating information as well!
I don’t like whirly rides, but the Seattle Greet Wheel is slow and lovely. You should try it.
Oh my goodness. My stomach churned just looking at it. But what fun facts. Thank you for sharing, Mary! Carmen
I an’t stand most whirly things but the Ferris wheel doesn’t bother me. Thanks for your comment!
Fascinating information — as always!
Thank you! The Ferris wheel has always been my favorite at fairs, etc. This one is spectacular!