Members of Morrison Historical Society and interested attendees were treated to an informative PowerPoint presentation by Judith Holesinger, Fulton, IL, during the Grand Opening of Morrison’s Heritage Museum, on Sunday, April 29, 2018. Mysterious technical difficulties, with two projectors and an errant cursor, made for a late start to her program. It took a combined effort by Holesinger, Board President Harvey Zuidema, and Trustee Bob Vegter before the equipment was wrangled into compliance.
As her shirt indicates, windmills are Holesinger’s passion. For more than a decade, she has been a volunteer Miller at de Immigrant, the authentic Dutch windmill in Fulton. She noted that a grist mill is defined as, “a mill for grinding grain, especially one equipped with large grinding stones for grinding grain.” Grains include maize (for cornmeal or animal feed), and wheat, rye, and buckwheat (for flours.) So, she admitted, a windmill is technically a grist mill.
Her program addressed mills without wind power. The earliest water-driven mill she visited began in Ireland in the 1640’s. After four generations it continues grinding grain.
“There aren’t many deposits of granite in the United States,” she stated. So many mills imported blue granite grinding stones from France. The adage “A good miller keep’s his nose to the grindstone” was explained. As grain is milled into flour, friction from the stones causes heat. There is a pleasant smell that accompanies the process–when done correctly. To ensure the flour is not heated too much, a miller must keep alert and near the grinding mechanism, in order to smell if it is spoiled. No one would keep their nose against a rotating grind stone, without serious abrasive injury! As with adages and idioms, one cannot take them literally, but there is reasoning behind them.
Holesinger helps plan monthly tourism events on various topics of interest at the Windmill Cultural Center, 111 Tenth Avenue, Fulton. All events are free and open to the public.
The next, scheduled for Monday, May 14, at 6:00 p.m., is “Life and Legend of Spencer Tracy,” who was a native of Freeport, IL. Ed Finch, Freeport, is the speaker.
Morrison’s Heritage Museum, located at 202 E. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL, is accessible to all, with a ramp entrance at the back of the building. Groups are invited to hold meetings in the Hearth Room.
Open days are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Friday through Sunday, beginning Friday, May, and at any time by appointment. Call 815-772-8889 to leave a message, or call Harvey Zuidema at 815-772 3084.
