On Monday, October 17, and Tuesday October, 18, 2016, volunteers of the de Immigrant Windmill in Fulton, IL, are hosting two volunteer millers from the Netherlands. Johan van Dijk and Andre Koopal are part of “Mill Friends Gathering” reception for those two days. Mill Enthusiasts from the Midwest and the Netherlands are gathering for a chance to meet and share ideas.
Fulton area volunteers and community members interact with the Dutch millers at the Windmill Cultural Center, located at 111 10th Avenue, in Fulton. A reception is a time for both groups to learn about the Dutch millers and their involvement with windmills.
Johan van Dijk first came to the United States in 2005, when he was 12 years old. A lifelong interest in windmills started when he was two years old leading him to become a volunteer miller in the Netherlands. He said he was drawn to mills because of the movement of the windmills sails and the power which was produced through them. Van Dijk notes that de Immigrant is the only windmill located so close to the Mississippi River. This makes the mill a point of interest for motorists coming over the bridges and even the boats coming down the Mississippi River, such as the American Queen. His knowledge of windmills from the Netherlands is expansive, and he is willing to talk about more than one thousand years of windmill history.
Andre Koopal met with local volunteers of the de Immigrant Windmill when they traveled in the Netherlands to learn more, before opening the Windmill Cultural Center in 2009. Koopal is drawn to the area as the people here, he notes, have an enthusiasm for keeping Dutch heritage alive. He is pleased to see events, such as Dutch Days, keep history alive in the Fulton area. As a volunteer miller from the Netherlands, the history of mills and the technology that keeps them running peaked his interest.
This free event is open to the public Tuesday, October 18, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, at the Cultural Center. Dutch-styled refreshments will be served while members of the community gather to learn more about windmills here in the United States and the Netherlands.
For more information, visit the Windmill Cultural Center and de Immigrant Windmill Facebook page or call 815-589-3925.
Pictured are Johan van Dijk (left) and Andre Koopal (right.)