Alsdorf Windmill

Alsdorf Windmill. . The Story of the Alsdorf Windmill , The windmill installed here is a Model 602 produced by the Aeromotor Company of Chicago, Illinois. The 602 was produced between 1888 and 1933, and the windmill that stands here at Chrisholm was manufactured sometime between 1916 and 1919., The windmill was previously owned and maintained by Earl Alsdorf and family. It was loaned to Chrisholm and erected in this location by the Butler County Antique Machinery Club in the early 2000's., The windmill sustained extensive damage in 2008 from a windstorm caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ike. In 2011, Friends of Chrisholm purchased the windmill from the Alsdorfs and paid to have it rebuilt. Later it was donated to MetroParks., Today, the windmill can be used to pump water for the animals at the Chrisholm Historic Farmstead., History and Purpose of Windmills , Windmills have been in use since the 14th century. They use the power of wind to make difficult or repetitive tasks easier. They are called "windmills" because one of their first uses was to mill grain into flour--a task that had previously been accomplished with human, animal, or water power., Other common uses for windmills included pumping water (as this windmill does) or powering wood saws. The use of windmills began to decline in the 19th century as more powerful sources of energy such as steam power, the internal combustion engine, and electricity were introduced. Windmills such as the Aeromotor were still common in the early 20th century since electricity was not yet available in rural areas., Modern cousins of windmills, called wind turbines, are used today to generate electricity without causing air pollution., How Windmills Pump Water , The blades, also known as sails, of the windmill wheel catch the wind, which turns the rotor., The wheel assembly is attached to a hub assembly by long arms. The hub assembly drives a geared mechanism that converts rotary motion to an up- and-down motion., That up-and-down motion drives a long sucker rod, also known as a pump rod, up and down inside of a pipe in the well., Attached to the end of the pipe is a cylinder with a sealed plunger going up and down inside that forces the water up the pipe. Each upstroke pulls water into the cylinder. On the downstroke, a check valve in the bottom won't let the water be pushed out, so the water is forced up the pipe with the next upstroke.