ILLINOIS WINDMILLS
Dedicated to the history, preservation, and continuing story of windmills in Illinois.
Resources
Organizations
Society for the Preservation of Old Mills
The International Molinological Society
The official compilation of windmills in the Netherlands
Windmill and watermill related archives in the United Kingdom
American Wind Energy Association
Information about wind energy initiatives in the United States
Information about wind energy initiatives in Illinois and surrounding states.
Community wind across America
Museums
Fulton, IL
Dedicated in April 2010, the Windmill Cultural Center sits across the street from Fulton’s iconic Dutch windmill, De Immigrant. It is the first museum of its kind in Illinois, featuring twenty-one model windmills and Dutch artifacts.
Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago, IL
Smart Home: Green and Wired—tour a home that is eco-friendly and wind powered! The museum is great for families and has a wide range of exhibits.
Kendallville, IN
Includes an original 1854 Halladay Standard wind engine and the Robertson Post Mill, a replica of the first windmill built in America at Williamsburg, VA. Their collection of windmills new and old has grown to include more than fifty since its opening in 1994.
Holland, MI
Home to a windmill museum, shops, and the authentic Dutch windmill De Zwaan, which was the first (and last) windmill to be removed from the Netherlands. The functioning windmill offers tours and has a variety of tools on display. Dancers perform periodically outside the mill, and the museum features photographs and a short film about De Zwaan.
American Wind Power Center and Museum
Lubbock, TX
Boasts an impressive collection of wind engines, turbines, and a replica of the post mill at Flowerdew Hundred plantation in Virginia. Recently a large mural depicting the evolution of the windmill through our agricultural history was completed within the main gallery.
Shattuck, OK
A collection of American wind engines.
Nederland, TX
Features some local artifacts and history about Dutch settlers in Texas, housed within a windmill-inspired building with rotating sails.
Websites
A collection of windmill profiles from around the world
Information about wind engines and repair
Collection of wind engine manuals, parts, and identifying photographs
Collection of sales and repair manuals for many popular wind engines
An incredibly detailed site about milling, maintenance, and restorations.
A look at how Europe influenced the evolution of windmill design
Telosnet Illustrated History of Wind Power
As the name implies, a thorough history of wind power development.
Photographs of various mills (mostly water-powered)
Ohio Barns - Old and Interesting Mills
The mill section of the larger Ohio Barns site, featuring barns and roadside oddities from across the country.
Photographs, articles, and newspaper clippings filtered by your search criteria.
Millwrights
Verbij Windmill Design and Construction
Lucas Verbij, a fourth-generation millwright from Holland, has been involved in a number of windmill projects here and around the world. He repaired the tail pole of the Prairie Mills Windmill; restored the Fabyan Windmill; surveyed the Peotone Windmill; rebuilt the cap of the Murphy Windmill in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA; and constructed the Little Chute Windmill in Wisconsin.
Derek Ogden
Derek Ogden is based out of Virginia, and designed the restored windmill at Flowerdew Hundred plantation. Locally, he restored the Prairie Mills Windmill, and is involved in a number of windmill projects worldwide.
Dutch-based company that was commissioned to build de Immigrant for Fulton, Illinois. The family-owned company also restores/rebuilds windmills in Europe.
Repair, maintenance, restoration and reconstruction resource for custom windmills, wind engines, and water mills.
Career Training
First college in the nation to offer wind turbine technician degrees
Danville Area Community College
Offers career degrees in wind technology
Wind Energy Program
Illinois Institute of Technology
Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research
Renewable Energy Curriculum
Education for Kids
Power of Wind online downloadable course for middle-school children.
Information about how energy works, designed for younger children.
Literature
A Field Guide to American Windmills
T. Lindsay Baker
Without a doubt, this incredibly detailed book is the resource for wind engines, complete with individual model profiles and manufacturer information.
Landt Dennis
Interesting book about windmills and folklore.
Frederick Stokhuyzen
A look at Dutch windmills past and present.
Philip E. Vierling
The single most detailed history and construction plans of any windmill.
Leslie C. Swanson
Self-published author marks notable water and windmills on state maps.
Kenneth Hutchison
A story of an old windmill’s transformation into a home.
Richard L. Hills
Scientific analyses of wind and converting it to usable kinetic energy
The International Molinological Society
Dictionary and translations for common mill terms and parts.
Martin Watts
A look at mills in the United Kingdom.
Anne Wienke
The story of the three Emminga windmills and the Gronewold Windmill in Golden.
Volta Torrey
An historic look at windmills from around the world, past and present.
The Windmill: A Book for Boys Young and Old
H. C. Harrison
The “daily grind” of a miller working in rural England.
Laura Brooks
Coffee table book.
Sally Taylor
Coffee table book.
Martin Watts
A look at windmills in the United Kingdom.
Stanley Freese
Detailed facts about windmill construction and design.
F. E. Powell
A look at wind engines and early windmills, and how to build your own.
Daniel Lombardo
Study of windmills throughout the New England states.