Mid-America Windmill Museum - Kendallville, Indiana - Windmill History All in One Place

The Mid-America Windmill Museum in Kendallville, Indiana is both an enjoyable and educational place to visit. The major part of the museum's goal is to "...collect, display, preserve, and tell the story of wind power...'' The museum features videos, tours, exhibits, interactive displays, photos, and a windmill library filled with reference materials and educational books that visitors can purchase.

Visitors to the museum will learn to appreciate windmills for the engineering marvels that they are. They are both functional, using the wind's energy to perform work, and gracefully attractive. When the American style windmill was designed by creators to be able to perform with little more maintenance than lubrication. Windmills, and windmill power are a vital part of American history.

The museum is built on a 37-acre site that is in a well-known area of windmill manufacturing plants. There are several companies that have been in the 100 mile radius of Kendallville, including the Flint and Walling, Company, which is the company that formerly occupied the site of the current museum. The museum is the only windmill collection to have all eleven Flint & Walling model windmills made. Each change in windmill design produced a new windmill that was assigned a new model number. Each Flint & Walling model number corresponds to the year it was created or updated.

The museum, which officially opened in May of 1994, offers memberships which provide discounted admission, invitations to special events, and subscription to the museum's newsletter, the Windmill Clipper.

In 2003, the museum began the restoration process of the Samson Windmill, which was an identical match to the mills on the ranch of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. When the restoration was complete, the museum invited Justice O'Connor to the dedication ceremony, dedicating their restored Samson Windmill in her honor.

The museum was the host of the 17th Annual International Windmillers Trade Fair in 2005. Having begun with a modest collection of ten windmills that has now grown to over 50, it was an ideal location to host the special event that welcomes windmill enthusiasts from around the globe.

The museum's hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10-4, Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 1-4, April through November, but it is best to call ahead to verify that they will be open if you are planning a trip. Adult admission is $4.00, seniors are $3.50, children are $1.50, and kids under 6 years of age are free of charge. The museum is located at 732 South Allen Chapel Drive in Kendallville, Indiana.

Mid-America Windmill Museum occasionally hosts special events. There have been weddings on the site, and many believe it would be an excellent location for outdoor parties and ceremonies. Group tours are available, and guests should call ahead of time to arrange plans.

Nearby attractions include a restaurant built at the former location of a bank that was robbed by John Dillinger, a smiley face water tower, and the grave of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. The museum participates in and hosts a variety of annual events including Windmill Winter Wonderland and the Antique Gas Engine Show.