Long a popular ride at state fairs and amusement parks (see entry under 1950s—The Way We Lived in volume 3), the Ferris wheel is a tall, upright wheel with seats suspended around its rim. Mounted on a fixed structure, the wheel rotates while the swingable seats remain basically parallel to the ground, allowing riders to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area. During the twentieth century, Ferris wheels dominated the midways at amusement parks and state fairs in small towns and rural areas throughout the United States as riders sought rare bird's-eye views of the surrounding landscape.
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