Here we are in South Dakota. The windmill is in Milbank - where a whole lot of Wildes lived in & around. Grandma moved here from Rib Falls, WI about 1885 shortly after the town was started and here she met my Grandpa Ed, fell in love & got married!
One of Milbank's main attractions is this historic grist mill, a celebrated relic from the town's early days. This Old Holland Mill, (its name, is deceiving) as many assume it is a Dutch windmill. In realty, the English-style mill was designed and built in 1882 by Henry Hollands, who himself was an Englishman. The mill was used to grind buckwheat flour and to saw wood. Due to the rapid growth of the surrounding foliage, however, after a short period of time, the wind was not strong enough to turn the giant blades, consequently requiring the attachment of a gasoline engine to supply the power necessary to operate it. An interesting and clever feature of the mill is its main drive wheel, which is constructed entirely of wood to prevent significant damage or injury. If something were to go wrong, the wooden cogs in the wheel would break, thus rendering the mill ineffectual.
This was another wonderful day! We drove up to Sisseton, SD (about 55 miles from the campground) and did not find much there at the courthouse. But going home we stopped in Wilmot - just a little town of about 250 - no courthouse, no library, but a little newspaper office that puts out a weekly paper. The lady was so helpful & pulled all these wonderful bound books with back issues of the papers. We were able to get copies of 9 obits of relatives from as far back as 1920. I was so thrilled!!
This is my great-grandpa Johann Luebke (1834-1898) and great-grandma Augusta Schmidt Luebke (1846-1885).
And in the same cemetery is my great-grandpa Henry Wilde (1841-1914) and great-grandma Emilie Weber Wilde (1850-1909).
One of Milbank's main attractions is this historic grist mill, a celebrated relic from the town's early days. This Old Holland Mill, (its name, is deceiving) as many assume it is a Dutch windmill. In realty, the English-style mill was designed and built in 1882 by Henry Hollands, who himself was an Englishman. The mill was used to grind buckwheat flour and to saw wood. Due to the rapid growth of the surrounding foliage, however, after a short period of time, the wind was not strong enough to turn the giant blades, consequently requiring the attachment of a gasoline engine to supply the power necessary to operate it. An interesting and clever feature of the mill is its main drive wheel, which is constructed entirely of wood to prevent significant damage or injury. If something were to go wrong, the wooden cogs in the wheel would break, thus rendering the mill ineffectual.
This was another wonderful day! We drove up to Sisseton, SD (about 55 miles from the campground) and did not find much there at the courthouse. But going home we stopped in Wilmot - just a little town of about 250 - no courthouse, no library, but a little newspaper office that puts out a weekly paper. The lady was so helpful & pulled all these wonderful bound books with back issues of the papers. We were able to get copies of 9 obits of relatives from as far back as 1920. I was so thrilled!!
This is my great-grandpa Johann Luebke (1834-1898) and great-grandma Augusta Schmidt Luebke (1846-1885).
And in the same cemetery is my great-grandpa Henry Wilde (1841-1914) and great-grandma Emilie Weber Wilde (1850-1909).
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