Westhampton Beach works to breathe new life into historic windmill

A piece of history for the village once known as "Windmill Town" might become operational again as plans have emerged to relocate and restore a windmill built in the 1800s to the Great Lawn in Westhampton Beach.

Westhampton Beach’s Historical Society and village officials are seeking funding and historic landmark status for the nearly 41-foot-tall windmill that they believe dates to between the 1840s and the 1870s. Once moved and restored to working condition — estimated to cost $200,000 to $400,000 — they hope the windmill will eventually become a tourist attraction that honors the village’s history and teaches visitors about the importance of renewable energy.

"We’re the only village out here that we know had a tremendous amount of windmills, and this is one of the last few left [in the village]," said Larry Jones, a member of both the village’s Historical Society and its planning board.

At one point, according to Jones, Westhampton Beach had from 30 to 35 windmills of all sizes, ranging from 15 feet to just under 100 feet tall, resulting in the nickname "Windmill Town." They were mostly used to pump water into village homes before public water infrastructure existed.

Plans for the future

The windmill was built on a 1.7-acre property on the southwest corner of Seafield and Sunswyck lanes that was once owned by John A. Dix, a former U.S. senator from New York and later governor from 1873 to 1874.

About four months ago, property owners Adam and DiDi Hutt, who are redeveloping the land the windmill sits on, reached out to the village to see whether officials wanted it donated to them or if they should get rid of it.

Brian Tymann, a Westhampton Beach trustee, said that once the windmill is moved to the Great Lawn and restored to working condition, it can be a landmark for the village’s heritage and possibly a tourism destination where visitors can learn about the windmill’s connection to the village’s history.

"It’s unique to even see a windmill left to preserve, not to mention how unique this one is," Tymann said, "so to celebrate this area’s history, I think it’s important to know a little bit more about our area’s history and to demonstrate what our origins were."

With the rise of wind power and construction of the $2 billion South Fork Wind Farm project in Wainscott that began last month, Tymann said the windmill will serve as an educational tool for children and others on the importance of renewable energy.

A public hearing on the windmill’s proposed historic landmark designation was held Tuesday at the Southampton Town Board’s regular meeting, which drew no objections. The windmill will be historically designated once the village acquires it, which its attorneys are working on the paperwork for.

"This is a good example of local governments working together to accomplish a shared goal," said Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore. "In this case, preserving a piece of our East End history for future generations."