From a World’s Fair Dream to a Century of Joy | The Story of the Big Eli Wheel

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It all began with one breathtaking invention. At the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition, bridge engineer G.W.G. Ferris unveiled something the world had never seen before, the original Ferris Wheel. And among those who stood in awe was a young bridge engineer from Roodhouse, Illinois, named W.E. Sullivan.

Inspired but also practical, Sullivan and machinist J.H. Clements created a smaller version in 1900, using open buggy seats for a simple, charming design. When the Eli Bridge Company was officially formed in 1903, his investors insisted on keeping that name, just in case this "silly Ferris wheel fad" faded out, so they could always go back to building bridges!

But the fad never faded. It grew into a legacy. More than a century later, the Sullivan family’s Eli Bridge Company is still going strong, sending portable Ferris wheels to places as far away as India. What began as a bridge builder’s side project became a worldwide symbol of joy.

This very wheel, the No. 5 Big Eli Wheel, was sold to Alonzo Palmer of St. Thomas, Ontario in 1923, spinning happily at carnivals across the province for decades. Then in 1977, Jim Conklin of Conklin and Garrett Ltd. rescued it for his antique midway collection, before generously donating it to Heritage Park in 1984.

They thought it was just a passing trend. Instead, it became a ride that has spanned generations.

Next time you see it turning gently in the sky, remember, it’s not just a wheel. It’s a dream that outlasted the doubts, a business that defied expectations, and over 100 years of smiles carried on its gentle spin.

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