What Is the Old Dutch Mill?
The Old Dutch Mill in Wamego Park is one of two surviving Dutch mills in Kansas!
What Makes It Historical?
In 1879, Holland native, John B. Schonhoff, moved to a farm 12 miles north of Wamego and hired Jim Chadwick to construct a 40-foot sandstone tower for his mill! The windmill itself was fashioned after the famous ones from along the Zuiderzee with white, limestone trim and a bust of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, in the window! Mr. Schonhoff made all the mechanical and wooden components in his own shop!
Mr. Schonhoff only ran the mill for about a decade, selling the farm to Ed Regnier in 1898! Though he named his new property “The Stone Tower Farm,” Mr. Regnier didn’t use the mill again, but it was such a shame to let such a fine structure go to waste, that in 1925, the Wamego city park board asked the Regniers to donate the mill to their city park! They broke it down and reassembled it, stone by stone in Wamego city park, and it’s still standing (and milling) today!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Kansas Historical Society!
- Become a member of the Wamego Historical Society & Museum!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
406 4th St
Wamego, KS 66547
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Stop by the mill whenever you like, or plan to be in town for the Tulip Festival on the third weekend of April!