Cape Cod Windmills, Antique Wind Driven Grist Mills
on Cape Cod
on Cape Cod
On Cape Cod or within a day's drive from Cape Cod
Eastham Windmill
Thoreau's journal will reveal how little the Cape Cod moors have changed in one hundred and fifty
years. During Thoreau's visit in October of 1849, however, he navigated across the plains of Eastham by
scores of wind-driven gristmills, today he would find only six.
In September you will find one of the antique gristmills decked out in canvas sail if you arrive during the
September festival.
In the center of a split rail and rosebush enclosed green near the road where Thoreau once walked you will
find the oldest and the best preserved of the six remaining antique mills, the Eastham Windmill.
The center of attention during summer holidays and the September Windmill Celebration, the Eastham
Windmill becomes the pride of the Eastham Historical Society when members outfit the sails with cloth,
open the doors to visitors, and celebrate the towns history with weekend parties, band concerts, art, food,
and family events.
Indeed the mill has seen some history.
years. During Thoreau's visit in October of 1849, however, he navigated across the plains of Eastham by
scores of wind-driven gristmills, today he would find only six.
In September you will find one of the antique gristmills decked out in canvas sail if you arrive during the
September festival.
In the center of a split rail and rosebush enclosed green near the road where Thoreau once walked you will
find the oldest and the best preserved of the six remaining antique mills, the Eastham Windmill.
The center of attention during summer holidays and the September Windmill Celebration, the Eastham
Windmill becomes the pride of the Eastham Historical Society when members outfit the sails with cloth,
open the doors to visitors, and celebrate the towns history with weekend parties, band concerts, art, food,
and family events.
Indeed the mill has seen some history.
Thomas Paine built the Eastham Windmill in nearby Plymouth in 1680 where it ground grain for the
descendants of the religious separatists who came in 1620 from Plymouth, England. You can imagine that
the windmill might have ground corn for 21 year old John Alden, a cooper who lived in Plymouth until 1687, the
youngest man to arrive on the ship Mayflower. He fell in love with 19 year old Priscilla Mullins, who in
Longfellow’s poem uttered the memorable words, "Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?"
In the early 1770s the mill owners in Plymouth disassembled the Paine Windmill and floated it by barge
across the bay to Truro. Later in 1798 they moved it again, this time to Eastham. Here they rebuilt the mill
and it served the town until they moved it again to its present location where it continued to grind grain
commercially until 1908.
In a land with little natural timber, building materials never go to waste; each mill suffered several moves and
some even contain ship parts that builders salvaged from wrecks along the Atlantic shore.
In 1961, one hundred and ten years after Thoreau’s final visit to the Cape Cod windmills and due in part to his
writings about those visits, Congress set aside 27,000 acres of estuary, dune, and beach as a national park.
Today the lands of the Cape Cod National Seashore retain their wildness and look much like they did in 1849.
descendants of the religious separatists who came in 1620 from Plymouth, England. You can imagine that
the windmill might have ground corn for 21 year old John Alden, a cooper who lived in Plymouth until 1687, the
youngest man to arrive on the ship Mayflower. He fell in love with 19 year old Priscilla Mullins, who in
Longfellow’s poem uttered the memorable words, "Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?"
In the early 1770s the mill owners in Plymouth disassembled the Paine Windmill and floated it by barge
across the bay to Truro. Later in 1798 they moved it again, this time to Eastham. Here they rebuilt the mill
and it served the town until they moved it again to its present location where it continued to grind grain
commercially until 1908.
In a land with little natural timber, building materials never go to waste; each mill suffered several moves and
some even contain ship parts that builders salvaged from wrecks along the Atlantic shore.
In 1961, one hundred and ten years after Thoreau’s final visit to the Cape Cod windmills and due in part to his
writings about those visits, Congress set aside 27,000 acres of estuary, dune, and beach as a national park.
Today the lands of the Cape Cod National Seashore retain their wildness and look much like they did in 1849.
Eastham Windmill History
A recreated windmill built as an artist's
studio in Bourne on the Upper Cape
studio in Bourne on the Upper Cape
Jonathan Young Windmill
Orleans
Orleans
Two Hundred year old
windmill at Heritage
Museum and Gardens
Sandwich
windmill at Heritage
Museum and Gardens
Sandwich
Hiking and kayaking at the Salt
Pond Visitor's Center, not far from
the Eastham windmill
Pond Visitor's Center, not far from
the Eastham windmill
Drummer Boy Park Brewster
Fifteen large towns and many small villages make up Cape Cod.
Upper Cape: Along the Cape Cod Canal, the towns of Bourne and Sandwich define the northern limit of
the upper Cape
Mid Cape includes Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis. The mid Cap is where you will find Hyannis Airport
Lower Cape includes Brewster, Harwich, and Chatham.
Outer Cape starts in Orleans and includes Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.
Upper Cape: Along the Cape Cod Canal, the towns of Bourne and Sandwich define the northern limit of
the upper Cape
Mid Cape includes Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis. The mid Cap is where you will find Hyannis Airport
Lower Cape includes Brewster, Harwich, and Chatham.
Outer Cape starts in Orleans and includes Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.
Getting to Cape Cod: Boston is the nearest large city to Cape Cod.
Air service reaches Boston from other major hubs and cities. Rental cars are available at the airport.
From Boston take Route 93 to Route 3 and after 60 miles, cross the Cape Cod Canal. Continue on
Route 6 for all locations on Cape Cod or go to Route 6A for the slower scenic route through the villages.
Routes 6 and 6A join in Orleans and go to the tip of Cape Cod.
Several small commuter airlines serve Hyannis Airport and Provincetown Airport on Cape Cod from
Boston, Providence, and New Bedford. Cape Air, US Airways Express, and Linear Air (Hanscom Field
Bedford Ma)
Bus service is available from Boston and from Logan Airport. Plymouth and Brockton, Logan Direct
serves Hyannis
Bonanza Bus Lines serves Bourne, Falmouth, and the Wood's Hole ferry from Logan Airport
Passenger Boats leave daily from Boston to the tip of Cape Cod (May -September) at Provincetown.
Bicycles can go aboard.
A fast cat boat and a slower conventional passenger boat make trips from Boston. Bicycles permitted
A passenger boat makes a daily run from Plymouth, MA to Provincetown.
Air service reaches Boston from other major hubs and cities. Rental cars are available at the airport.
From Boston take Route 93 to Route 3 and after 60 miles, cross the Cape Cod Canal. Continue on
Route 6 for all locations on Cape Cod or go to Route 6A for the slower scenic route through the villages.
Routes 6 and 6A join in Orleans and go to the tip of Cape Cod.
Several small commuter airlines serve Hyannis Airport and Provincetown Airport on Cape Cod from
Boston, Providence, and New Bedford. Cape Air, US Airways Express, and Linear Air (Hanscom Field
Bedford Ma)
Bus service is available from Boston and from Logan Airport. Plymouth and Brockton, Logan Direct
serves Hyannis
Bonanza Bus Lines serves Bourne, Falmouth, and the Wood's Hole ferry from Logan Airport
Passenger Boats leave daily from Boston to the tip of Cape Cod (May -September) at Provincetown.
Bicycles can go aboard.
A fast cat boat and a slower conventional passenger boat make trips from Boston. Bicycles permitted
A passenger boat makes a daily run from Plymouth, MA to Provincetown.
When traveling by air to Boston for a trip to Cape Cod, you can start saving on your air fare by Parking
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Renting a car in Boston or booking a hotel on Cape Cod, check AutoEurope's
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Cape Cod Windmills are Antique Wind-Driven Grist Mills that
include the Eastham Windmill.
The Eastham Mill, built in 1680, is the oldest and the best
preserved of the six remaining antique windmills on Cape Cod.
include the Eastham Windmill.
The Eastham Mill, built in 1680, is the oldest and the best
preserved of the six remaining antique windmills on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod Windmills, Antique Wind Driven
Grist Mills on Cape Cod include the
Eastham Windmill, the oldest, built in 1680
Grist Mills on Cape Cod include the
Eastham Windmill, the oldest, built in 1680
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