The Ferris Wheel (05-06)

Historical narrative

The Ferris wheel at Marshall Hall was never the biggest ride in the park but, to a child, it felt like a trip into the sky. After handing over his ticket and climbing into a brightly painted seat, the young rider felt the wheel lurch gently forward as it began its slow climb above the midway. With each turn, the sounds of laughter, calliope music, and the hum of the rides drifted farther below. From the top, the entire amusement area spread out below—the carousel roof, game booths, picnic grounds, and the towering trees that shaded the park. Beyond them, the broad Potomac River shimmered in the summer sun. For a few moments, the breeze was cool and the world seemed wonderfully still before the wheel carried you slowly back to the ground.

Watercolor

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