Molen, Langs Ijsselmeerdijk

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

The AMERICAN WINDMOTOR is a distinctive landmark in the nature reserve "De Mokkebank" situated at the edge of the IJsselmeer, between Mirns and Laaksum. The windmill built to American specifications, probably of the "Record" type, designed at the beginning of the 20th century by Gebr. Bakker of IJlst and manufactured in the Netherlands. The mill was built after the closure of the Zuiderzee to pump a summer polder located in the former Zuiderzee. This mill is the only remaining mill that directly pumps water from polder land situated outside the dike onto the IJsselmeer.

Description

The steel tower stands in a foundation tank built of red machine-made brick, fitted with wooden covers. In the foundation tank is a steel fan pump fitted with a wooden inlet pipe with a wooden non-return valve. On the polder side a steel trash rack is fitted. The mill pumps the summer polder of the nature reserve "De Mokkebank" and pumps directly onto the IJsselmeer. Beside the mill remain fragments of the old wooden sheet-piling, reinforced with glacial boulders (these served a water-barrier function for the closure of the Zuiderzee). The tower has a ladder and a simple framework consisting of steel beams, a wooden deck and a steel railing. At the top of the tower is a steel motor body. The windwheel has a diameter of 3.20 metres and has twelve galvanized steel blades. The wheel consists of six radial arms, between which segments each with two blades; these are connected by two rings. The mill is fitted with one vane for self-regulation according to wind direction. Self-regulation according to wind force occurs when, as the rotational speed increases, the resulting tooth-pressure reaction force of the windwheel becomes greater than the tension of the screw spring of the vane; the mill then turns, contracting, out of the wind. The working parts of the mill are of cast steel and fitted with steel spindles. The fan pump is driven directly by the vertical spindle. In the foundation pit is a further electrically-driven pump of the make Bosman, which is also capable of pumping the polder.

Valuation

The so-called American windmotor from the first half of the 20th century is of general cultural-historical and industrial-archaeological importance:

- for the history of industrial archaeology in the Netherlands, in particular that of windmotors designed and built in the Netherlands;

- because of the development of early 20th-century Dutch pumping technology using windmills to American specifications;

- as a characteristic example of a mill type from the transition phase between windmill pumping and motor pumping;

- because of its role in the emergence of the pumping history of the pumping area "De Mokkebank" and later the water board "Marne-Middelsee";

- because of its landscape significance as a distinctive landmark, situated at the edge of the IJsselmeer between Mirns and Laaksum.