Jasper County Historical Museum receives grant for windmill exhibit

Jasper County Historical Museum Director Audrey Rex announced today that the museum was awarded a grant from the Silos & Smoke Stacks National Heritage Area Friday. Museum officials said the funds will be used to construct a new indoor/outdoor exhibit to showcase how Jasper County has utilized the windmill.

Rex said that the grant is given organizations that can present a unique interpretation of American agriculture. The Jasper County Museum chose the topic "Windertails of Jasper County."

Historically, Jasper County made use of wind power in the 1880s for pumping water. The 1930s saw Wind-Power Mfg. Co. create a generator that, when attached to a windmill, would make electrical power for farms. Modern day has seen the development of Trinity Structural Towers and TPI Composites, manufacturing companies that make wind turbines for renewable energy on a large scale.  

Work on the exhibit will begin this summer and is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2013.