Restored Windmill Big Hit At Show

We noticed an old-style windmill setting on a trailer in the antique tractor display area of the recent Husker Harvest show near Grand Island, Neb. Marvin Rickert, who lives on a farm nearby, was on hand to help visitors learn more about what he calls the "Rauert Windmill."

"This is a Baker windmill that was patented in 1918," says Rickert. "My wife Jane's father, Art Rauert, acquired the windmill in the 1960's from a friend and I helped him get it home. He had the windmill restored and put it up on his farm south of Grand Island. He was very proud of the windmill, and it stayed on his farm until his death in 1978.

His wife, Esther, wanted the windmill put up on our farm after she sold their farm. However, years of adverse weather had almost destroyed the windmill. What was left of it was taken down and put in our hog shed, where it sat forgotten for 30 years.

"Jane's mom moved to our area several years ago and asked if I would restore the old windmill. At that time she was nearing 102 years old. She is now 103 years old and we recently finished restoring it. When I got overwhelmed by the restoration project, my son Ron supported me and we got it done. We plan on keeping the windmill inside most of the time and will take it out only on special occasions."

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