Working Windmill

Featured in Disability and Beauty – November 4, 2009

Location: The Mennonite Heritage Museum,
Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

Two previous windmills, one torn down due to age, and another replacing it was destroyed by fire. Read Below. This is the current beautiful working windmill in the museum.

The 2001 Windmill Fire! * Fire destroyed the 1972 windmill at 3:30 am on Sunday, October 22, 2000. * Cause was determined as arson by fire commissioner later that day. * Steinbach residents in shock, sentiments of dismay and condolence received from across Canada and as far away as Europe and South Africa. * Board of Directors met that afternoon and agreed that the windmill must be rebuilt as soon as possible. A committee was formed to spearhead the work. * SkeletonPlea for help went to the Dutch Windmill Society who identified Lucas Verbij of Verbij Hoogmade BV as a person whose millwright company could help in the rebuilding process. * The windmill’s timber frame was raised on June 27. Millwrights from subcontractor Vaags Molenwerks arrived August 1 to install the Dutch made gears, stones and shafts. They completed their work by August 16. * The cap was raised on Wed., August 15, 2001 * The windmill was completed with the raising of the sails on September 14 and final assembly of the fantail system on September 18, 2001 – only 329 days after the fire. * Total insured cost of rebuilding the windmill was $614,191. An additional $14,866 was spent on systems to discourage and detect intruders as well as a system to detect and control fires * The first wheat was ground on Thursday, September 20th * A dedication ceremony took place on Sunday, October 23, 2001
(http://www.mennoniteheritagevillage.com)