Shout-Out to Eli Bridge.

Well, I think this is pretty cool.

Jacksonville is the home of the Eli Bridge Company, that manufacturers ferris wheels. Apparently Mr. W.E. Sullivan rode one at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It became his dream to build one of his own.

"I have discovered the machine I want to design and build, a portable 'ferris wheel'", W.E. Sullivan, 1893.

He designed and built his own ferris wheel, called the Big Eli. He created Big Eli NO. 17 in 1907, which was obviously the 17th ferris wheel he built. Anyway.

No. 17 made the fair tour until it was sold to the Jacksonville Rotary Club and set up in Nichol's Park until 1985. In 1986 it was donated to the City where it was re-located to Community Park.

And that, my friends, is where we finally rode it Sunday evening.

It was awesome.

And very bright, so high up.

The end.