are a common sight in Nebraska. The historian Walter
Prescott Webb argued that the windmill, barbed wire
and the six-shooter made homesteading on the Great Plains
ensured early homesteaders had a constant supply of
water. In some areas, windmills are still used as a
source of water for livestock.
windmill is a machine that uses the wind to turn a wheel
with slats (photo right). The wind hits the slats and
the wheel begins to turn, as it turns - it turns a shaft
and gears that power machinery. As the machinery moves
it pumps water from the ground and into a tank.
have also been used to power machines that grind grain.eds
of years to power machinery used to grind grain such
as wheat and corn. Today we also have windmills, called
"wind turbines," that generate electricity.
Introduction to Wind Power for Nebraskans