What is the history of the windmill? There are many different types of windmills today. They started back in the 1800's building and distributing windmills in the U.S. Ever since the beginning of time, man...
Ever since the beginning of time, man has found ways to harness energy power. One of the most notable free sources of power is the wind. It has never been uncommon for the wind to provide a means of motor transportation as the sailboat dates back several thousand years.
But just as technology continues to change today, it didn't take long for inventers back then to find alternate uses for the wind. One invention that became famous for the energy and productivity it can produce by utilizing the wind as a source of energy is the windmill.
Some reports have the invention of the windmill dating as back as far as Persia in the fifth century AD. Others have it dated a little later in history. But no matter when experts speak about the origin of the windmill, they all have the same message. And that message is the importance it carried for local farmers and developing businesses.
Since 1976, Russ of Russ' Windmill Service has been servicing windmills all across the United States. His duties include dismantling, rebuilding, re-assembling, and installing wheels ranging in diameter from 6 feet to 16 feet. During the 1980's, he traveled from Wisconsin to Arizona, buying, selling and trading with ranchers across the great Midwest and South.
While he has worked on Dempster, Monitor, Flint & Walling, Challenge, Wood Mansey, Fairbury, and Eclipse windmills in the past, today he specializes in the 702 Aermotor, which he considers to be the "Cadillac" of all windmills. Russ says that the history of the windmill is a long and illustrious one.
"There are so many different kinds of windmills," he says. "Windmills started way back in 1800s and they started out originally with wood wheel windmills and open gears with grease cups on them."
"There is a real nice book on windmills, 'American Field Guide to the Windmill' by T. Lindsay Baker," he adds. "It has almost every windmill ever made in the United States. From the wood and the steel wheels, to people's inventions and creations. This is a really good book if you are interested in learning more history about windmills."
The windmill that Russ considers the "Cadillac" of windmills is the Aeromotor. As someone who primarily works specifically on the Aeromotor windmill now, Russ has a distinct knowledge of its history.
"Aeromotor was started in Chicago and those are the ones I basically work on," he says. "They started back in 1888 and they made a fabulous windmill. They are still making them down in San Angelo, Texas."
With hundreds of different types of windmills being made over time, Russ says it would be impossible to go over the history of each. But for any consumer thinking of possibly purchasing one for his or her own land, Russ says that good craftsmanship has always been the trademark of the windmill.
"The people who have invented these things, old timers, they did a wonderful job designing and putting their thoughts into all the different styles and different versions," he says. "I mean, there are just so many different ways that people made windmills and their motors."
"A lot of them use roller bearings," he adds. "And what happens with two roller bearings in a windmill, when you let it run low on oil, it seizes up, grinds out, and the shaft and the wheel falls to the ground. With other motors they have babbitt bearings, which are soft like wood, and they just seem to last longer and do not tether themselves up."
