The Windmill

If you have ever pumped water for even one horse by hand, you will appreciate the tremendous labor saved by a windmill. The earliest pioneers led the stock to the closest stream or spring, and sometimes that was quite a distance! Then came the hand pump and the trough, but the windmill was a significant advancement.

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The Perkins Co. of Mishawaka, Indiana sold many windmills in this area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their package included the wheel, the fan, the works, and the ornate gingerbread platform. Our mill wheel is a complete restoration, except for the ironwork. It stands 10 feet tall, with 90 meticulously crafted redwood blades. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most attractive of all American windmills, featuring a beautiful and graceful design coupled with probably the most intricately painted ornamentation ever placed on any widely distributed mill.

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The engineering of these windmills was both simple and ingenious. The wind blew the wheel, the fan kept it oriented into the wind, and the wheel turned a camshaft. This camshaft drove a long rod attached to the pump up and down, effectively drawing water from deep within the earth. When the windmill was not in use, a disengaging wire could be pulled to stop the wheel from revolving, though it continued to turn gently on its axis to prevent wind damage. Unlike the loud, clattering metal wheels of later designs, this wooden wheel operated almost silently.

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On their way from the dusty fields, the menfolk always stopped at the well house for a long, cold drink of water straight from the well. A dipper of tin or graniteware, or one homemade from a dipper gourd, hung on a convenient nail, ready to serve. At threshing time, a bench with a wash basin, soap, and towel stood close by. The threshing crew could wash up here, keeping the mess out of the kitchen. 

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In 1977, our windmill was included in the book A Field Guide to American Windmills by T. Lindsay Baker, published by the University of Oklahoma Press. This inclusion highlights the historical significance and aesthetic value of our windmill, underscoring its place in the rich tapestry of American agricultural history.