Twin Ferris Wheels | 1950-1974

Hersheypark has had a number of Ferris wheels in the park since 1926. The first wheel was a kiddie version that was in the park from 1926 through the end of the 1960 season. This was followed by two other kiddie Ferris wheels which operated from 1959 to 1971 and Little Wheel which was rented by the park for the 1983 Christmas Candylane season.

Other full sized Ferris wheels include the Giant Wheel, which operated from 1973 to 2004, and the Ferris Wheel, which was installed in Hersheypark in 1997.

This article is about the first full sized Ferris wheels the park had. The park purchased two Ferris wheels from the Eli Bridge Company and installed them in 1950.

History

These wheels are registered as #900 and #901 in the Eli Bridge catalog which the Eli Bridge Company maintains. The wheels were painted white and the seats were red. The park would operate the Ferris wheel on the left side and then open the second wheel when attendance required it. In two of the pictures below, you can see the seats on the right Ferris wheel were covered over since that wheel was closed.

By the 1970s, the wheels had been repainted yellow and the seats had alternating colors including yellow, blue, and red.

The view from the ride did not change much through the years it was in the park, since the Mill Chute, The Bug, Skooter, and Comet, all pre-date the Twin Ferris Wheels. In the picture below, from 1974, you can see some rides which were added tot he park in the intervening years – including Skyview (1966) and the Mini Comet (1974) – which can be seen in the distance.

The Twin Ferris Wheels were ultimately replaced by Giant Wheel in 1973, though the wheels remained in the park through the 1974 season. They were removed due to low capacity and a Himalaya was placed in that spot until Looper was built two years later. Though not in the exact same spot, sooperdooperLooper’s station is generally where the Twin Ferris Wheels were.

Post-Hersheypark life

Sometime after the rides were removed in 1974, they were sold to a person who lived in Maryland. According to Eli Bridge records, both Ferris wheels continue to operate for the company for which that person worked.

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