Traces the history of the use of windmills in the United States and surveys the various types of American windmills

Presents nearly 180 striking images of historic windmills across North America, capturing the wind machines in a wide range of settings and uses and documenting both the construction of commercial machines and the innovative designs of individuals who built their own.

R. Douglas Hurt recounts the settlement of the U.S. Midwest between 1815 and the turn of the twentieth century, arguing that this region proved to be the country's garden spot of the country and the nation's heart of agricultural production.

Explaining how the wind works, what windmills have contributed to the past, and why they offer environmental promise today as a source of clean, renewable energy, this revised and updated edition offers a glimpse into all the current and historical uses for wind power. Featuring new information on wind energy technology and wind farms, new photographs, and 24 wind-related activities—from keeping track of household energy use and conducting science experiments to cooking traditional meals and creating arts and crafts—this handy resource offers kids interested in the science of energy and green technologies an engaging, interactive, and contemporary overview of wind power.