Phoenix Wheel comes home to Chester County after more than 130 years
133-year-old Phoenix Wheel returns to Phoenixville as monument
The historic 133-year-old Phoenix Wheel Ferris wheel has been restored and returned to its original home in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where it now stands as a monument and tourist attraction.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. - One of the oldest Ferris wheels ever built is back where it all began.
What we know:
The 133-year-old "Phoenix Wheel" now stands in downtown Phoenixville—just steps from where it was originally constructed in the late 1880s by the Phoenix Steel Company.
"It’s a full-circle moment," said Michal Kajak, treasurer of the Schuylkill River Heritage Center. "No one can drive by here without looking at it. It’s a figure of art. It’s a figure of our history."
The 78-foot-tall Ferris wheel has traveled quite a journey over more than a century.
The backstory:
After being built in Phoenixville, it became a staple along the boardwalk in Asbury Park, where it operated for nearly 100 years—from 1895 until 1988. The iconic ride even served as the backdrop for an album cover tied to Bruce Springsteen.
After leaving the Jersey Shore, the wheel was relocated to a theme park in Mississippi. When that park closed, the historic structure spent roughly two decades in storage—dismantled into thousands of pieces.
Bringing it back to life was no easy task.
The Schuylkill River Heritage Center spearheaded a years-long effort to return the wheel home, raising close to $2.5 million through state grants and private donations.
"It’s been a labor of love," Kajak said. "Barbara Cohen, the founder, really cared a lot about preserving history."
Reassembling the Ferris wheel proved to be a massive puzzle.
"There were no directions, no manuals, no instructions," said Gern Jaeger, owner of Specialty Metals Welding and Fabrication. "We just laid it all out, took a deep breath and started measuring—figuring out what fit where."
Jaeger says his team spent about two years restoring the structure—months of that simply trying to understand how it originally went together.
"With thousands of rivets and bolts, every piece only fits in one specific place," he said. "We had to recreate missing parts and basically reverse-engineer the entire wheel."
Today, the Phoenix Wheel stands tall once again along Bridge Street—drawing crowds and turning heads as a centerpiece and tourist attraction in Chester County.
"For now, it’s a monument," said Kajak. "But getting it to run again—that would be a dream of mine."
That dream, however, is still years away.
Engineers say it could take another five to 10 years—and millions more dollars—to make the historic ride fully operational.
"That’s going to be a lot more head-scratching," Jaeger said. "Not saying it’s impossible—but it’s going to take a lot."
What they're saying:
Even without motion, the wheel is already sparking excitement.
"It’s very cool. I love it," said Phoenixville resident Linda Korzec. "I can’t wait for it to start moving—whenever that will be."
To help raise money and awareness, supporters have launched creative fundraising efforts—including a locally brewed beer named after the Phoenix Wheel and a brick program where donors can have their names engraved on the site.
For Kajak, seeing the wheel assembled again—even briefly turning during construction—was emotional.
"I didn’t think I was ever going to see that," he said. "And it just made me realize—I need to make it happen someday."
For now, this piece of American history is standing still—but not forgotten.
And if all goes according to plan, one day, it will spin again—creating new memories for generations to come.
You can inscribe a brick at the Phoenix Wheel by filling out this form.