Summer of 18-#17-Windmill Island Gardens, Holland, Michigan

June 9th, 2018 (Part 2)

The middle part of our day with J&K was spent at Windmill Island Gardens, Holland, Michigan.  This is a mini Holland and beautiful.

This lady welcomed us to the park

The flower beds and gardens were beautiful.

The Gift Store

Ornamental Fountain

Sue walking through the gardens

Love Birds in the garden

Our first view of the De Zwaan Windmill. 

Waiting to cross the drawbridge

Drawbridge

Bryan lagged behind taking pictures. :)

                                

This LINK gives a very interesting detailed history of the windmill.

This LINK gives an excellent description of the interior.  A tour guide gave an interesting informative tour.

                            

                            

Original parts from the mill

The hole was caused by a bullet in WWII

The windmill still makes flour and has its own miller.  Here is the STORY OF ALISA CRAWFORD, the first American, and the first woman to become a Dutch Certified Miller and her job at the windmill.  A fascinating story and what this lady does to make flour at this windmill is amazing.  Climbing the sails, and moving the wheel shown above to change the direction of them, according to weather conditions, is just a small part of it.  Unfortunately today the weather wasn't good for making flour and so the mill was not operational.  The winds are better in the spring and fall.

Beautiful gardens and Canadian Geese

Are the Geese going for a swing on the bench?

Sluice Gate in the distance

Operational Sluice Gate similar to those in the Netherlands

Dutch Mailbox

Carousel

There was a 1928 Dutch Organ donated by the City of Amsterdam in gratitude for the United States role in helping to liberate The Netherlands in WWII.

Explaining how the organ works

Model Windmill

Look at the artists brush!!

Another model windmill and the sluice gate 

As we were about to leave I realized I had left my raincoat somewhere on our walk around, so Kathy & I backtracked.  A gentleman saw us searching and asked what we were looking for.  He told us he had just handed it in to the lady at the front.  We thanked him and went and retrieved my raincoat.  Phew, good job my heads attached!!!!

Next stop, the lighthouse.  If you haven't already read about it, here's the LINK.