Standing 12 stories high and towering above 36 acres of lush green
fields and colorful gardens, the 240-year-old majestic DeZwaan windmill
stretches out its 80-foot sails to beckon visitors closer.
It is located on Michigan’s Windmill Island, where
nearly every season the island is covered in color: More than 100,000
crimson, sweet orange and sunny yellow tulips are in bloom during the
spring, and a beautiful array of summer plants and annuals continue
through the fall.
The DeZwaan was originally built and operated in the Zaan
district of Holland, near Amsterdam, where it served flax and grain.
Also known as the Swan, the mill still produces fine graham flour — and
is the only authentic Dutch windmill operating in the United States.
Windmill Island offers many attractions besides the DeZwaan. By
visiting the Posthouse museum, historic buildings, quaint shops, an
antique carousel and strolling across the drawbridge, visitors are taken
back to an earlier time. Windmill Island is located north of downtown
Holland, Michigan, a town known around the world for its annual
Tulip-Time Festival (May 7-14 this year). It’s open from mid-April to
early October; hours vary.
For more information, call (616) 355-1030, or go to www.windmillisland.org.
