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Surviving Windmills |
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De Immigrant (Fulton Windmill) |
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Copyright 2005—2008 Thomas Haskell |
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10th Avenue and 1st Street Fulton, IL 61252 |
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Status Newly constructed and operational Tours Tours are available during open hours. No admission fee is required, but donations are accepted. Visit the mill’s gift shop in the basement. Hours May Saturday: 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Saturday: 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Websites Tower Height 45’—11” Sail Span 72’ Uses (2001—present) Wheat (2001—present) Buckwheat (2001—present) Rye (2001—present) Corn Constructed (1999—2001) Millwrights Molema Millbuilders Owner City of Fulton (2001—present) Honors 2001: Governor’s Hometown Award 2001: Engineering Accomplishment to Willett and Hoffmann Engineers |
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History
To celebrate its strong Dutch heritage, the City of Fulton dedicated a parcel of land on a flood-control dike along the Mississippi river for the new construction of an authentic Dutch smock windmill. To ensure authenticity, it was decided that the mill would be built in the Netherlands by native millwrights. A contract was signed on December 4, 1998 in the Netherlands to employ Lowlands Management, Molema Millbuilders, and Havenga Construction to build the mill in sections at a time and have the parts shipped to Fulton for final assembly. Construction began the following January after the arrival of 30 metric tons of bilinga wood to Molema.
Once the different parts were carved and fitted, they were sent (first by boat, then by truck) to Fulton, where the windmill was built in phases. The octagonal tower was built first, and was also built separately from the base, cap, and machinery. Once the foundation was poured and the cap arrived, the three parts were put together at once in “The Big Lift” on November 19. 1999. A crane was used to lift the tower onto the base, lift the cap onto the tower, and then to install the sails into the windshaft.
The windmill itself does closely resemble the construction and methods used by German immigrants 150 years ago. Unlike the mills across the rest of the state, however, this mill is much more traditional to Holland in that its sails rotate at ground level (as opposed to raised sails above wing buildings accessible by a stage) and in that its external architecture and colors better reflect mills still operating there. The windmill is very modern, with an iron windshaft, iron quants, a brick façade, and a concrete foundation; curiously, however, the mill does not contain many windows and does not operate using grain elevators.
Plans are in the works to add more attractions to the windmill’s vicinity, including a park and more shops in a “Dutch village” in addition to a new community center.
Sources -The City of Fulton -http://www.cityoffulton.us/windmill.php -http://www.hippowebdesign.com/fulton/index.html
Literature
Pamphlet published by the city of Fulton.
Images
Photo facing west (2001) by City of Fulton Photo facing east (2001) by City of Fulton |
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De Immigrant, situated on a levee along the Mississippi River, ready to begin grinding on a beautiful fall day. Photo from Great River Road Sightseeing |
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Illinois Windmills |
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“Absence of proof is not proof of absence.”
—William Cowper |
