Thanks to our friends at Alliant Energy, the Lenig windmill has been resurrected --- raised Wednesday on the Lucas County Historical Society Museum campus in a new location just slightly down the hill west of the Pioneer Barn.
The windmill --- a representative of the hundreds that once were scattered across Lucas County and used primarily to raise well water for livestock and sometimes people --- was taken down and disassembled a couple of years ago to clear a path for the paved handicap-accessible trail that now wraps around the barn as it leads downhill from the Pioneer Cabin to the Blacksmith Shop. The new location is just down the hill slightly from the old.
After that, board member Jim Secor took the windmill's base, cut loose when it was moved, to Ron Christensen, who welded new legs onto it. Those legs then were mounted in concrete and the windmill's support framework hinged to it.
Board members Mike Smith and Jim then worked with Alliant to bring two big trucks to the campus on Wednesday to raise the base, then lift the fan and the tail --- both of which had been in storage --- into place and secure them. Many thanks to everyone involved!
We're getting ready to open the museum to guests again during early June --- after slightly more than a year of being open by appointment only due to COVID-19. We'll not be hosting our usual summer events this year because of continuing concerns, but are looking forward to welcoming visitors! Stay tuned for further details.
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