Rhode Island Picture Post Cards
Old Windmill on Block Island - 1899

The windmill pictured above was known as the Harbor Mill. It was originally built in 1770 and transported to Block Island around 1810. The windmill was originally located behind the the National Hotel, however in the mid 1850's the mill was moved once again to the north side of Old Town Road.

In 1900, a preservation group purchased the mill with the idea of restoring it as a museum. The preservation effort failed and the old windmill was sold back to its original owners in 1910. The windmill was completely destroyed during the Great Hurricane of 1938.

The windmill was 38 feet high. The arms were each 18 foot in length and 4 foot in width.

(I got a kick out of the granite stone fences in this postcard.
During the years I worked on Irving Hazard's farm in Saunderstown,
RI; I rebuilt many of these. We used a device called a "Stone-Boat"
to move them from one area to another.)