They tower above the North Carolina State Fair. They are favorites at pop-up carnivals in mall parking lots. There’s even a full-sized one inside the Toys“R”Us in New York City.

Originally known as the “pleasure wheel,” the Ferris wheel has been a fascination of Norman Anderson, a retired professor of science education, for more than 33 years.   

While in graduate school, Anderson, with the help of his friend Walter Brown, wrote a collection of educational books for middle and high school students about topics such as lemurs and Halley’s Comet.

Searching for new topics, Anderson and Brown were captivated by the story of the debut Ferris wheel at the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago.

“It’s a fantastic story of engineering.” Anderson said. “We did some more research and we were writing books, and so I fixed up a proposal, and a friend of ours bought it. The problem was that because it was the last part of a series, it didn’t stay in print for a long time.”

Though the book was not in print for long, Anderson found a life-long interest in the carnival attraction.

“Normally when we finished a book like that I’d put the stuff in a box and put the box in a closet,” Anderson said. “But I got hooked on Ferris wheels and I just don’t know why.”

George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., the creator and designer of the Ferris wheel, built the first Ferris wheel in only six months. At 264 feet tall, the Ferris wheel had 36 cars — each about the size of a small streetcar or trolley. Anderson said that the Ferris wheel held about 2,000 passengers, carrying 60 passengers in each car.

“To me that’s as amazing as the size of the wheel,” Anderson said. “Nowadays if you get on the Internet you’ll find all kinds of places that have tried to build big Ferris wheels.”

Anderson said the immensity of the Ferris wheel was what sealed his affinity for the fair ride.

“I thought it would be a great retirement project,” Anderson said.

In 1993, Anderson wrote a book regarding the 100th anniversary of the Colombian Exposition and the Ferris wheel.

“I thought I was going to write more stuff but when I retired in 1994, I ended up having the opportunity to go back to part-time work the very next day,” Anderson said.

Anderson said that after publishing his book in 1993, he realized, with the Internet gaining momentum, information on Ferris wheels was more readily available.

“I started a newsletter,” Anderson said. “In total I sent out 161 issues, but for the first 90 I actually mailed it out in hard-copy.”

Anderson said that he’s always been interested in the history of technology and engineering even though his background is in science education.

“Honestly, I think it chose me,” Anderson said. “I didn’t choose it. I think a lot of times you have interests, but generally, you can’t be specific on why you like something. You just know that you do.”

Anderson recently donated a collection of books to D.H. Hill Library titled “the Norman D. Anderson Collection of Ferris Wheels and Other Related Material.” Among other information about Ferris wheels, the collection includes various books written by Anderson.

He also said he plans to make a donation of more than 3,000 different Ferris wheel postcards.

According to Anderson, many moments during the many years of his Ferris wheel research are ingrained in his memory.

“I could go on forever about the people I’ve met and the stories I’ve heard,” Anderson said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and I still hear from the different people that I’ve met.”

Anderson spoke of one moment in particular that will remain with him.

During a trip to the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., Anderson and a friend stumbled upon a hidden treasure.

“We went through the boxes, and one of the things we found — something we will never forget — was what looked like a piece of oil cloth that was probably something like 20 by 30 inches,” Anderson said. “When we opened it up it was an advertisement — a beautiful color lithograph of a Ferris wheel that had been built out in Ohio.”

According to Anderson, their discovery caught the attention of the director of the NARA.

“He just couldn’t believe it,” Anderson said. “It had been folded up in some box for almost 100 years.”

Since its invention, the Ferris wheel has undergone many modifications and modernizations. To Anderson, there’s no stopping the changes.

“Just think about it,” Anderson said. “The original Ferris wheel in Chicago was 264-feet tall. It’s only a matter of time before we have a 1,000-foot one. It’s only a matter of time.”