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Tinley Park Windmill


Bartel Windmill in Tinley Park ca 1890+-

An authentic Dutch Windmill functioned for many years in Tinely Park. It was destroyed in 1911. It was located on Oak Park Avenue at 171st Street.
The Tinley Park Windmill could be rebuilt and used as an attraction to Tinley Park. The Windmill would recreate an important and iconic Tinley Park attraction. 





Peotone Windmill

Windmills very similar in shape and size to the Tinley Park Windmill were built by the same builders, Bartel of Kankakee,  The Mill in Peotone, IL is 3 blocks west of the historic downtown. 





Fabyan Windmill in Kane County





The Fabyan Windmill in the Kane County Forest Preserves north of Aurora on Highway 27 east of the Fox River is another example.

















Possible locations include:


Historic Tinley Park, in Zabrocki Park near Oak Park Avenue and the Rock Island Railroad.  The Mill would function as a tourist attraction, cultural amenity, and a piece of the history of the town.  Visit the Peotone windmill to see how it would fit in historic area.

Windmill in Holland, Michigan



Near the Tinley Park Convention Center Lake visible to I-80.  It would function similar to the Windmill in Holland shown to the right, MI as a tourist attraction. Could be used to aerate lake. 




In forest preserve across from Village Hall or at Boundary Lake at 183rd and Ridgeland.  See Kane County Windmill to see how it would fit in a forest preserve on a highway.


The downtown site and Convention Center site are both in Tax Increment Financing districts and TIF funds could be used to construct the Windmill. It could be an authentic mill constructed by craftsman from Holland. In 1999 the estimated cost for the Windmill was $1,000,000. A simpler structure could be constructed for less money, with a possible dual use for a small restaurant.


With our current tough recession this would be a good time to build the mill.  Construction costs are low and our building trades could use the work.






The Windmill would be a great tourist attraction to Tinley Park, and provide a focus and landmark. The site I prefer would be in Zabrocki Park near Oak Park Avenue and the Train Station.



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