Murphy Windmill

Murphy Windmill
Origin
Mill location Golden Gate Park
Coordinates 37°45′50″N 122°30′29″W / 37.764°N 122.508°W / 37.764; -122.508Coordinates: 37°45′50″N 122°30′29″W / 37.764°N 122.508°W / 37.764; -122.508
Operator(s) San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Year built 1908
Information
Purpose Water Pump
Type Smock
No. of sails 4
Other information 114 foot sail length

The Murphy Windmill is a functioning windmill in San Francisco, California. It was completed in 1908, and placed on the San Francisco Designated Landmark list in 2000.

Location

The windmill is south of Dutch Windmill on the western edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California.[1]

History

In the 1870s and 1880s, Golden Gate Park was planted on sand dunes and required substantial irrigation.[2] In 1902, the Park Commission authorized the construction of two windmills to pump groundwater for park irrigation rather than purchasing water at exorbitant costs from the Spring Valley Water Company.[3] The Murphy Mill was completed in 1908,[4] and pumped 40,000 gallons per hour to the park.[5]

Electric water pumps replaced the need for windmills in 1913, and the mill fell into disrepair. By the 1950s, the mill was in a state of ruin.

It was placed on the San Francisco Designated Landmark list on July 2, 2000.[6]

Restoration

In 1964, the San Francisco Citizens Commission for the Restoration of the Golden Gate Park Windmills was formed and led by Eleanor Rossi Crabtree, daughter of former San Francisco mayor Angelo Rossi. Plans for the Murphy Mill restoration began in 2002, with a reopening in 2012.[7][8]

Events

Since 2012 the Dutch community in the Bay Area celebrates King's Day every year at the end of April near Murphy Mill. The event celebrates Dutch culture and traditions, including old Dutch kids games, flea market, Dutch food, beer, music, and dancing.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Golden Gate Park Windmills & Tulips". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  2. ↑ ""Pacific Service" as an Aid to Nature in Golden Gate Park". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Campaign to save the Golden Gate Park Windmills". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Windmills of California". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Murphy Windmill". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "San Francisco Preservation Bulletin No. 9 San Francisco Landmarks". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Colliver, Victoria (28 April 2012). "Golden Gate Park windmills both will turn". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  8. ↑ "Murphy Windmill reopens in Golden Gate Park". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  9. ↑ Administrator. "SFDutch.com | King's Day in San Francisco". www.sfdutch.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
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