Harkleroad wind turbine, Experimental wind turbine in Novato, California, United States

The Harkleroad wind turbine is an experimental rooftop installation on a workshop building in Novato that generates electricity for the structure below. The rotating blades sit atop the building at 19 Harkle Road and form part of the property's energy system.

Sam Harkleroad built this wind installation in the 1960s as part of his innovative building projects in Marin County. The turbine emerged during a period when wind power was extremely uncommon for private property owners.

The installation represents early sustainable energy practices in Northern California and catches the attention of travelers passing along U.S. Route 101.

The turbine was removed from the workshop roof in 2021, so it can no longer be seen from U.S. Route 101. The workshop and the two houses stand on a low hill on Harkle Road; the property is private and has no guided tours or interior access. View the structures from the public road.

The turbine was a Savonius type, a vertical-axis design, mounted on the workshop roof and visible from U.S. Route 101 until its removal in 2021. Sam Harkleroad, called "The Frank Lloyd Wright of Marin County," built it around 1960 with recycled materials.