Tonmolen, Historic windmill in Steenwijkerland, Netherlands
Tonmolen is a water pumping mill in Steenwijkerland built from wood with a rotating cap and large sail arms. The structure was designed in a way that preserved the trees around it during and after construction.
The mill was built in 1899 when a farmer needed to drain his flooded fields. It shows how rural people developed their own technical solutions for managing water on their land.
The windmill reflects how farmers once took control of their own water problems with tools they built themselves. Walking around it, you notice how people shaped their surroundings through practical engineering.
The mill sits in open countryside and is easy to walk to from nearby roads. Wear comfortable shoes since you will walk on field paths to reach and explore it.
This is the only mill of its specific design type anywhere in the Netherlands. The unusual design came from the need to protect the old trees that stood on the property.
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