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500
First Windmill
The Persians seem to have been the first to develop windmills (between 500 and 900 A.D.)
Appox. this year -
Jan 1, 1096
Europes First Windmills
Windmills first appeared in Europe about the time of the Crusades (1096-1270).
Appox. this year -
Jan 1, 1200
1st windmills in England
Evidence of windmills in England dates from the 12th century, with earlier references to "mills"
Approx. this centerary -
Jan 1, 1219
Chinas First Windmill
The first known windmill in China is documented in 1219 A.D.
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Jan 1, 1370
Dutch take the windmills to new hieghts
In the late 1300s the Dutch took windmill technology to new heights, developing new sail designs that increased efficiency, including using a leading edge on the sail to create aerodynamic lift.
Appox. this year -
Jan 1, 1500
Holland
Holland had windmills in the 1500's for pumping and power.
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Ground Sailer
Smock mill De 1100 Roe, Amsterdam, Netherlands, built in 1757, type called a grondzeiler ("ground sailer") by the Dutch , since the sails almost reach the ground.
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USA devlope a new style of windmill
In the United States in the mid 1800s a new style of windmill was developed that comprised a small rotor set on top of a skeletal steel structure
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Interseting fact
Of the 10,000 windmills in use in the Netherlands around 1850, about 1000 are still standing. Most of these are being run by volunteers though there are some grist mills still operating commercially.
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Daniel Halladay
In 1854 Daniel Halladay of Connecticut
created a windmill that turned automatically toward whatever direction the wind was
blowing and that slowed itself down in high winds.
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windmills materials get replaced
By 1888 manufacturers were
replacing fragile wooden construction with blades of galvanized steel.
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Windmills loose there popularity
Though handy for running direct current appliances, when electrification by connection to the main power grid came to many rural areas of the United States during the 1930s, the windmill lost its popularity.
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Interesting fact
Did you know that windmills always turn counter-clockwise, except for those in Ireland? Initially, windmills were used for pumping water and milling grain. They were first employed into energy producing in 1973. -
Dutch windmill
An operating Dutch windmill (1994) that features leading edge airfoil sections The mechanism used to turn the rotor into the wind and the windows of the first-floor living quarters are easily seen.
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Sad News
Norfolk’s last commercial flour mill has been removed. The sail, at Denver Mill, near Downham Market, was taken away on 13th January 2012 for repairs.
