- Windmill Island
Windmill Island is a
municipal park located in the city ofHolland, Michigan . It is home to the 245-year-oldwindmill De Zwaan , the only authentic, working Dutch windmill in theUnited States .History
In
1964 , the City of Holland purchased the windmillDe Zwaan from a retired miller in the town ofVinkel in the province ofNoord Brabant , the Netherlands. The windmill was shipped from the Netherlands to the port ofMuskegon, Michigan on the ship "Prins Willem van Oranje ". It was brought by truck from Muskegon to its present location on Windmill Island. Reconstruction of the mill began in 1964 and the park opened in April of1965 . The island, formerly farmed by Henry F. Koop, was chosen because of the favorable wind conditions there. Although originally a peninsula, a manmade canal turned the land into an assisted island. Before the arrival of De Zwaan, it was known as Hyma Island.OnApril 10 ,1965 ,Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands became the first visitor to the park and presided over the grand opening. His ticket and the tenguilder bill he used to purchase it are still on display in the park today.Windmill Island today
The park includes approximately 36 acres of land along the Macatawa River and the swamp leading into Lake Macatawa.
Each year Windmill Island hosts approximately 55,000 tourists. The park is open daily from late April until early October, with the most visitors in early May during the
Tulip Time Festival . 150,000 tulips are planted on the island each year. In addition to the windmill, the park includesreplicas of several historic buildings in the Netherlands. In the summer months, visitors may also see theklompen dance, traditionally performed by local high school students during the annualTulip Time Festival .After Tulip Time season, tourists continue to enjoy the Island's attractions, and the park frequently hosts weddings and events. The Island's celebration pavilion can seat up to 300 people. Wedding ceremonies are typically held outside the park or in the Island's gardens, with receptions and banquets taking place in the pavilion.In late October, Windmill Island usually hosts a Halloween-themed event based on "
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow " or other stories.External links
* [http://www.cityofholland.com/Brix?pageID=111 Windmill Island]
*Geolinks-US-streetscale|42.799534|-86.095755
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