Blowing in the Wind

Gap-toothed and grumbling, the old windmill keeps vigil over the valley where a gravel road has replaced horse and wagon trails. More than a machine, it symbolizes survival. The windmill grew up with the American West, supplying water for people, crops, and livestock. Between 1880 and 1935, more than 6,500,000 windmills were sold in the United States. Once in operation, they rarely needed replacing. Their long life and the arrival of electricity made sales drop dramatically. On the open range, windmills still provide water for livestock and their own unmistakable brand of prairie music. Part of this region lies atop the world's largest underground sea, the Ogallala Aquifer, and natural springs bubble to the surface throughout the area.

Colorado · United States