Windmill history: the American Wind Power Center in Lubbock, Texas
Posted August 11th, 2010 by Sheila Scarborough
The gentle squeaking and pumping sounds tell you that the windmill is doing its job; harnessing the relentlessly blowing wind to bring water up from the far depths of the earth, for all the thirsty livestock.
There is a whole field of them whirring around at the American Wind Power Center in Lubbock, Texas (including a giant 164-foot white Vestas wind turbine that powers the museum) plus a building crammed with over 100 historic windmills that you can walk around and read about.
I was struck by the engineering creativity and craftsmanship of these machines. I learned, for example, that the weird-looking windmill with the blades folded like a closed flower was actually a regular windmill that is folded like that when it is shut down.
There were absolutely enormous windmills that used to pull up enough water to service steam railroad engines. There were small metal devices that perhaps brought up just enough water for some chickens, displayed right next to elaborate professionally manufactured windmills and then further down, some simple wooden handmade ones that would make MacGyver proud.
The museum also supports a WindSmith Academy: a two-day school covering basic tenets of wind power. Those who are interested in working in this growing profession (which is more and more important to the economy of western Texas) can check it out ahead of time through this course, and even climb up the tower of a 50 meter wind turbine at the end of class.
If you’re ever in Lubbock, this museum is well worth a stop. I truly enjoyed it.
Related posts:
- Show, don’t tell: how long IS a wind turbine blade?
- A dream in progress: American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City
- Disc golf discovery in Texas
- Your vacation is in your head
August 12th, 2010 at 6:40 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Sheila Scarborough, Consider Green. Consider Green said: #green Windmill history: the American Wind Power Center in Lubbock, Texas … http://bit.ly/aTFxGd [...]
August 12th, 2010 at 7:19 am
[...] Windmill history: the American Wind Power Center in Lubbock, Texas | Perceptive Travel Blog [...]
August 12th, 2010 at 11:20 am
That looks like a really interesting place to visit. I really liked your first picture too.
August 12th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
windsmith — what a good word. many ideas in it.
August 12th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
I love quirky off the beaten path places like this. Thanks for the article.
August 13th, 2010 at 8:04 am
Thanks, Marina, we had a wonderful time. Lots of good photo angles; I need to work on my eye.
August 13th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Agree, Kerry. I liked seeing the museum offering an educational opportunity like this – the wind turbine farms in this area are bringing jobs and technology to the entire region.
August 13th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Thanks, Vacation Guy, we all like quirky, too!
September 6th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
They have put up hundreds of these on I-70 in Kansas just west of Salina and it is amazing. They are huge windmills and go on for over 10 miles as you are driving past.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
[...] and here are a few nuggets that we brought back from Lubbock….besides how much we liked the windmill museum [...]
May 16th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
[...] and here are a few nuggets that we brought back from Lubbock….besides how much we liked the windmill museum [...]