The Volendam Windmill Adamic road, Holland Township, NJ The sixty foot structure is seven stories high with sail arms sixty-eight feet from tip to tip. The Story, as I have heard it from various sources: The windmill was built in 1965 by a man to please his wife who was from the Netherlands. It was originally intended to mill grain, but because of problems with getting permits from the New Jersey department of Agriculture it became a tourist attraction. In past years, our bike rides through that area often stopped there for a break. The door was normally open, and we could walk in and view photos and artifacts displayed on the first floor. When the owner saw someone on the premises he would come out and offer a tour of the entire windmill for a few dollars. The man died, and his wife continued the 'business' for a few years, then closed the mill when she was in her 80's. Several years ago, the mill was reopened on weekends, and tours were given by members of a non-profit group. In September, 2001 on the return from a New Hope ride I took the familiar Shire and Adamic Hill roads up to see it.  The owner, who is a nephew of the couple who previously owned it, was repairing a barn, and we spoke.  It was he who created the non-profit organization in an attempt to acquire grants to repair and maintain the windmill to keep it open for tours.  He said that neither the local township nor the state of New Jersey are interested in it.  The top structure of the windmill on the back side has suffered major damage (he did not say how) and it is now closed to visitors.  He also said that the Windmill tours had never paid for the upkeep.  I asked about the sails and he said that there had not been canvas on the sail arms for about ten years.  He invited me to wander around and take these photos. _____________ Earl Wuchter The back side The ship's wheel on the deck turns gears that rotate the upper part to face the sails into the wind. This mechanism and part of the upper structure has been badly damaged. Getting There by Bicycle South of Riegelsville, there are several ways up from Rt 627 and Church rd, most of them with very steep climbs. From Rt 519 there is a longer, higher climb that finishes by descending a steep, curving hill to Mt. Joy road. The profile below is the route from Milford, going north on 519. The total climbing elevation is 805 feet, and the uphill sections of Church, Shire, and Adamic Hill taken together average about 8%.    0 mi = Traffic light in Milford where 519 goes north. 2.3 mi = Turn left onto Church rd (a dip with a short, steep climb). 3.0 mi = Turn right onto Shire rd for a one-mile climb into the woods. 4.1 mi = Turn left onto Adamic Hill rd for a 0.6 climb, then a nice descent. 5.2 mi = Aproximate location of the Windmill (on the right as you descend). 5.7 mi = Turn right onto Alfalfa rd (a very steep descent). 6.2 mi = Turn left onto Mt. Joy rd for a nice finish. 7.0 mi = Join Rt 627 New storm damage noticed October, 2007 LWA Home  *  Scrapbook Page Or use the Browser's BACK button to Return