Stone Windmill

Austin, TX

This charming gem isn’t even known by some locals who have lived in the area for over forty years. (We learned as we searched for it ourselves. One gentleman was going to do research into the location and history of the windmill.)

(The street on the right in the photograph above is Enfield High, left is Loop 1.)

In Austin, Texas if one has a desire to search the Jackson Creek Hike and Bike Trail for the Stone Windmill I recommend an approach from the trailhead off Enfield Road near Winsted Lane by parking nearby. Approximately 90 yards in along the left side of the trail you will see an old metal bridge and 100 yards down the trail on the left you will find the stone windmill in its preserved state.

I recommend taking care of foliage as there were signs of Poison ivy along the lower end of the trail beside the Colorado River. And as in many places in Texas, the stickers were growing around the area.

The 20-foot-tall restored stone windmill marks the homestead of Wylie and Effie Bennett. Their names are inscribed above the door of the windmill, however, not much else is known about the couple. The blades on the mill have been replaced however the mechanics are not functional.

Near the windmill, for those who appreciate old stonework, there is a retaining wall near the creek. The wall, like the windmill remains in good condition. The wall and windmill may have been constructed around the same time.  

Little is found concerning Wylie and Effie in the local histories. Effie was located in the 1940 census in Austin at age 46 with two sons and a daughter.

The windmill care was taken over by the City of Austin in 1977. Since then they have done renovations to it.

The interior shows the reinforcements that have been made.

The hiking trail is handicap accessible however getting right down near the windmill is not necessarily safe for people with limitations due to uneven ground, rough rocky, and dirt surfaces.

LINKS:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/stone-windmill