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Windmill Buildings (page 1)

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This section of windmill buildings is organized alphabetically by state. The focus is on simulated windmill buildings but there are plenty of real windmills included as well.

Plumley's [gone]
Texarkana, AR
This building in Texarkana housed Plumley's grocery and gift shop. I don't know if that was the original occupant. The building looked like it had been vacant for many years when these photos were taken in 2008. The windmill was still there in 2015 but gone by 2016.

Van de Kamp Bakery
Los Angeles, CA
 Windmill House
Morro Bay, CA
This Van de Kamp Bakery was built around 1930. It is now missing its blades. The building now houses Best Way Liquor. [map]

This Windmill House was built for the silent film star, Gladys Walton. I don't know when it was built. Walton also owned a house with a faux Lighthouse. [map]

Windmill Chapel
Pacific Palisades, CA
This Windmill Chapel is located at the Lake Shrine Temple. It is a reproduction of a 16th-century Dutch windmill. The windmill was built in the 1940s and was originally used as a residence and movie set. It became a chapel after the property was acquired by the Self-Realization Fellowship. For more, see this website. [map]

Howard Johnson
Express Inn
Ceres, CA
 Windmill Club [gone]
Rodeo, CA
The windmill in Ceres is located in front of a Howard Johnson Express Inn. It was built in the early 1950s for the Blue Mill Motel. The original owner wanted to build something as a tribute to his Denmark roots. The blades on this windmill still turn. [map]

The Windmill Club started out as a soda fountain and restaurant in the early 1900s. It became a bar after Prohibition ended. The place was severely damaged in a fire in 2009 and never reopened. The building was demolished in 2017. For more, see this website.

Windmill House
Los Osos, CA
This Windmill House was built by John Lindemans. I don't know when it was built but I believe it has been here since at least the 1970s. [map]

former Green Mill Inn
Penngrove, CA
The Green Mill Inn was founded in the late 1920s as a stand selling chicken and fruit pies. The windmill was added by 1932. The restaurant closed in in 2003 and the building has been vacant since then. [map]

windmill
Oakland, CA
2008: 2014:
The history of the windmill in Oakland is unclear. While some say it was originally installed at an entrance to Idora Park, I have not found any evidence of such. Another story is that this structure is what remains of a Pee Wee mini golf course. This windmill was supposedly used as a flower shop in the 1950s/1960s and was possibly used as a lemonade stand at one point. It has been vacant for many years. I'd love to get the actual history of this windmill. For more, see this website. [map]

Carlsbad-by-the-Sea Resort
Carlsbad, CA
2008 and 2014: 2020:

Legends Tap House & Grill
Selma, CA

Pea Soup Andersen's
Santa Nella, CA
The Pea Soup Andersen's restaurant chain was founded in 1924 with the original Buellton, CA restaurant. That location is still open but there is no windmill. A location in Santa Maria opened in 1964 and a location in Salinas opened in 1965. Another location in Mammoth Lakes, CA was built in 1973 and closed around 1981. I'm not sure what became of that building. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

The Carlsbad-by-the-Sea Resort was built as a Pea Soup Andersen's restaurant. It was built in 1981 as the company's fourth location. It closed in 1986. The property was later acquired by Holiday Inn. Sometime after 2008, it became the Carlsbad-by-the-Sea Resort. In 2019, the windmill building became the Windmill Food Hall. The building was painted black and white. The blades on the windmill still turn. For more, see this website. [map]

The Legends Tap House & Grill and a Holiday Inn occupy another former Andersen's Pea Soup restaurant. This location was built in the 1980s as the last location. It closed in 2001. [map]

The Santa Nella location was built in 1976 and is the only other location still operating. [map]

Shell gas station
Kingsburg, CA		 former Swedish Mill
Kingsburg, CA
This Shell gas station pays tribute to Kingsburg's Swedish heritage with this giant windmill. Does anyone know how old this building is or if it was used as anything before this? [map]

The Swedish Mill smorgasbord restaurant opened in 1972 and closed around 2001. The design was inspired by the buildings in Solvang. A Viking statue was later installed at the entrance. That is gone now. In 2019, the building was repainted. In 2022, there was talking of reopening the restaurant. However, it remains vacant and fenced off in 2023. For more, see this website. [map]

Murphy Windmill
San Francisco, CA		 Dutch Windmill
San Francisco, CA
Both of the windmills in San Francisco are located in Golden Gate Park. They were originally used to pump water for the city. The Murphy Windmill was built in 1908. The Dutch Windmill was built in 1902. [Murphy Windmill map]; [Dutch Windmill map]

Days Inn Windmill Inn
Buellton, CA
2013: 2023:
This Days Inn Windmill Inn was built in 1970 with this windmill. The motel was featured in the 2004 movie "Sideways." In 2016, it became the Sideways Inn. In 2022, the windmill was painted white. [map]

Kronborg Inn
Solvang, CA		 former Danish Inn
Solvang, CA		 Old Mill Loft
Solvang, CA		 Hamlet Square
Solvang, CA
Solvang is considered the Danish Capital of America. After Ferd Sorensen built his Danish-style house and windmill in 1945, Solvang began remodeling downtown buildings in the same style. I believe Sorensen designed all of the Solvang windmills shown here.

The Kronborg Inn was built in 1973. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Danish Inn was built in 1963 as a motel and restaurant. It later became the New Danish Inn. It closed around 2006. Since 2010, the building has housed the Solvang Brewing Company. This photo is from 2013. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Old Mill Loft, a clothing store, is housed in the upstairs of this windmill. Other tenants of the building include Tower Pizza and Johnson's Jewel Box. I believe this building is from the late 1950s. It is a replica of the windmill in Copenhagen. This windmill is 65 feet tall. [map]

Hamlet Square windmill was built in 1964. It now houses the Sevtap Winery. [map]

More California:
Van De Kamp's (Arcadia)
Log Cabin Motel (San Leandro) [vintage; gone]

Windmills (page 2) Windmills (page 3) Windmills (page 4) Windmills (page 5)

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