Historian to speak on folk art of windmill weights

DuPage County Historical Museum has been aflutter with activity since opening the exhibit “Early Illinois Folk Art 1825-1925” in April.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a special event will feature historian T. Lindsay Baker, beer and wine, and food by Ivy restaurant from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the museum, 102 E. Wesley St., Wheaton.

Baker will give a presentation on windmill weights, an important part of American history. The windmill was integral in the opening of the West, helping farmers secure water and occasionally powering locomotives and machinery for grinding grains or cutting feed. Windmill weights helped keep the windmills from toppling over in strong prairie winds.

The weights came in a variety of shapes and styles, and are prized for their beauty and their unique role in America’s history.

“They really tell a story of how our lives and culture have changed in a relatively short time period,” said Sara Arnas, curator at the DuPage County Historical Museum.

Museum educator Sara Buttita added, “(Windmill weights) played a pivotal role in the development of farming communities, not only in Illinois but across the country.”

Baker, guest speaker for the evening, is an authority on windmills, windmill weights, Texas history, the history of technology, and social and cultural history. He is the editor of the Windmillers’ Gazette, a publication documenting the history and collecting of windmills. He also serves as the W.K. Gordon chairman and professor of history at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

The exhibit closes Oct. 27.

“We hope that people will take this opportunity to learn something new about early life in DuPage County and draw comparisons from the examples of talent and innovation that drove people in the 1800s,” Arnas said.

Admission is $20 and includes beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres from Wheaton’s Ivy restaurant. To register, contact (630) 510-4941 or dupagemuseum.org.