July 4, 2016
A journey out of the city.
Old windmills where people used to live.
This windmill was constructed in 1634. It is one of the few remaining windmills in Holland that still works, and may be the only one that still works.
It was used to pump the water out of a large lake, it could pump up to 60,000 liters an hour. This windmill lowered the water in the lake approximately one meter (40 inches). Once the water level in the lake was lowered one meter, a second windmill was constructed to lower the water an additional meter. A total of four windmills in series were required to lower the water in the lake by four meters (approximately 13 feet). The lake bed was now suitable for raising crops.
The windmills operated until the 1920’s to maintain the desired water level in the lake when the windmills were replaced by mechanical pumps.
This canal is what the windmill pumps the lower level water into.
Baby ducks playing
The blue line represents the normal water level in the lake prior to the de-watering by the windmills.
The top of the windmill can rotate so the windmill blades are oriented correctly for the prevailing wind.
The windmills were required to be manned continuously so they could be operated whenever the water level in the lake rose. This required the windmill keeper, and his family to live in the base of the windmill.
This is the Archimedes screw that can pump 60,000 liters an hour of water, raising the water approximately one meter.
The technology required for fabricating the two right angle bevel gears and the trough for the Archimedes screw is astounding for the 17th century.
The fireplace used for cooking family meals.
Child’s bedroom next to pantry.
The tile around the firebox shows the children playing and having fun, not like the rigid stern pictures that were common into the mid 20th century.
Parent’s bedroom
Baby bed built into the end of parent’s bed. If there were more than two children they had to sleep on the floor, and if they were lucky the parents put straw on the floor.
Ladder up to the upper works of the windmill.
A model of the Archimedes screw used to demonstrate it’s pumping principals.
Each blade of the windmill is 12 meters long (40 feet).
