De Olde Molen

In 1804 and in 1810, two polder mills (watermill driven by wind) were built at Polder Reiderland (5th division of Blijham) near Winschoterzijl.{{Cite web |title=Polder Reiderland- 5e deel, Blijham |url=https://www.molendatabase.org/molendb.php?step=details&nummer=3462# |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=www.molendatabase.org}} The younger of the two burned down in 1814.{{cite news |author=Marius Bremmer |date=15 August 2001 |title=Molenbouwer Jan Medendorp bracht veertig jaar geleden een Hollandse molen naar Aruba |language=nl |website=Terdege via Digibron.nl |url=https://www.digibron.nl/viewer/collectie/Digibron/offset/3/zoekwoord/Jan+Medendorp/id/tag:Terdege,20010815:newsml_6d9c740e268557daa43dacc89e97ba2c |access-date=19 February 2022}}{{cite web |title=De Olde Molen/ Molen van Snelter/ Molen van Jonker |url=https://www.molendatabase.org/molendb.php?step=details&nummer=1089 |access-date=19 February 2022 |website=Molen Database | date=29 January 1897 |language=nl}}{{cite news |date=13 March 1961 |title=Groningse molen wordt neergezet op Aruba |language=nl |website=Gereformeerd gezinsblad |url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=olde+molen&coll=ddd&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1960-1969%7C1961%7C&page=1&identifier=ddd:010626639:mpeg21:a0025&resultsidentifier=ddd:010626639:mpeg21:a0025&rowid=5 |access-date=19 February 2022}} Subsequently, in 1815,{{Cite news |date=1960-08-29 |title=Winschoter courant |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMRHCG03:163591050:mpeg21:a00099 |access-date=2023-09-08}} a mill was constructed on that same spot, featuring two screw pumps and a wingspan of {{Convert|77|ft|m|abbr=in}}, which is now located in Aruba.{{Cite web |last=Bremmer |first=Marius |date=2001-08-15 |title=Digibron.nl, Molenbouwer Jan Medendorp bracht veertig jaar geleden een Hollandse molen naar Aruba |url=https://www.digibron.nl/viewer/collectie/Digibron/offset/3/zoekwoord/Jan+Medendorp/id/tag:Terdege,20010815:newsml_6d9c740e268557daa43dacc89e97ba2c |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Digibron.nl |language=nl}} In 1883, it was sold to a Geert Rikus Luth for one-hundred guilders and later came into ownership of the Snelter family. In 1897, it was relocated to Wedderveer.{{Cite web |title=Historia di "De Olde Molen" na Palm Beach {{!}} Arubiano |url=https://arubiano.nl/historia-di-de-olde-molen-na-palm-beach/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |language=nl}}

On behalf of miller Jan Hubbeling Snelter, the mill underwent reconstruction in 1898 by millwright W. Kamps from Winschoten, following the permit granted in 1896. On 28 January 1898, the mill became operational,{{Efn|Mulder Snelter noted in pencil on one of the thick trusses that this was done on behalf of Jan Siks and Jan Korte in Hoorn.}} serving as a wind-powered gristmill. Known as Molen van Snelter or Molen van Jonker, this gristmill stood opposite a small wind-powered sawmill, Spinnenkop.

The Molen van Snelter was an octagonal smock mill with a tar paper roof and {{Interlanguage link|Cap (windmill)|lt=cap|nl|Kap (bovenkruier)}}, featuring a low stage with a stone base (i.e. middle and bottom sections). The mill had two wooden rods connected to a cast iron axle, and its sails were rigged in the traditional Dutch sail system, known as commons sails. Inside, it had two pairs of millstones on the stone floor.

In April 1930, the mill was left with only one rod (two sails) after a rod broke in May 1929. Repairs were carried out in 1933, but the mill was later neglected, with a partial stage in the southwest, a missing tail, and tie beam. Grinding operations ceased in 1937. By 1947, both rods (all four sails) were missing, and a demolition permit was issued to H.G. Jonker in Wedde on 2 October 1958.[https://groningermolens.nl/fileadmin/Molenfotos/user_upload/06424_010_Sloopvergunning_1958.pdf Instemming van provinciale waterstaat en de molencommissie met sloop en de verleende sloopvergunning van het rijk (1958)] [Approval from the provincial water authority and the windmill commission for demolition and the demolition permit granted by the state (1958)] [https://groningermolens.nl/molendocumenten?molen=281&cHash=cacc9afe469b7fbad864af5d37fb5d99 Groninger Molen | De korenmolen van Snelter]. (in Dutch) Retrieved 2023-09-07.

In 1960, two Dutch businessmen, Theo Paalman and G.J. Woudenberg, acquired the mill with the intention of relocating it to Aruba as a tourist attraction.{{Cite news |date=1960-04-04 |title=Mas plan pa turismo: Un restaurant den un "Molina Hulandes" na Palm Beach |url=https://archive.org/details/BNA-DIG-ARUBAANSECOURANT-1960-04/page/n8/mode/1up |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2024-01-26 |work=Arubaanse Courant |publisher=Aruba Drukkerij |language=pap |via=archive.org}} The meticulous disassembly of the Molen van Jonker by millwright Jan Diederik Medendorp began in the same year and took four weeks,{{Cite news |date=1962-04-10 |title=Molenmaker uit Zuidlaren bouwde molen op Aruba weer op |work=Algemeen Handelsblad |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBNRC01:000038241:mpeg21:a0141 |access-date=2023-09-11}} with the blades being left intact.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=KBDDD02:000210874:mpeg21:a0060 |title=Groningse korenmolen maakt reis naar Aruba |website=Amigoe di Curacao |date=28 January 1961 |language=nl |access-date=19 February 2022}} The original stone base remained in the Netherlands, while a new one was constructed in Aruba to accommodate the restaurant. Notably, the spoorwiel (great spur wheel) and rondsel (pinion) are housed in the gristmill De Zwaan in Holland, Michigan, USA.{{Cite journal |last=Bakker |first=W.O. |date=June 1991 |title=Waar bleven de onderdelen van afgebroken Groninger molens in de jaren 1951 tot 1969? |trans-title=Where did the parts of demolished Groninger mills go between 1951 and 1969? |url=https://www.bdpoppen.nl/pdf/onderdelen_groninger_molens.pdf |journal=De Zelfzwichter |language=nl |access-date=2023-09-08}} The bents, windmill mechanisms, and also {{Convert|2000|kg|lb}} of millstones, totaling 30 tons of load,{{Cite news |date=1961-01-28 |title=Stukje Nederland langs de BOULEVARD Groningse korenmolen maakte zeereis naar Aruba |work=Amigoe di Curacao |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBDDD02:000210874:mpeg21:a0060 |access-date=2023-09-11}} were transported by the KNSM ship, m.s. Breda, to commence the reconstruction in Aruba.{{Cite news |date=1961-03-13 |title=GRONINGSE MOLEN WORDT NEERGEZET OP ARUBA |work=Gereformeerd gezinsblad / hoofdred. P. Jongeling |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010626639:mpeg21:a0025 |access-date=2023-09-08}}

The polder mill in Harkstede, named {{Interlanguage link|De Verloren Zoon|lt=De Verloren Zoon|nl|De Verloren Zoon (molen)}} ("The Lost Son"), also known as Polder Het Lageland ("Polder The Low Land"), demolished in 1957,{{Cite web |title=Poldermolen De Verloren Zoon - CollectieGroningen Molens |url=https://groningermolens.nl/molens/molen?molen=267&cHash=79bec780b994a26bfdbcb761544cc2d8 |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=groningermolens.nl}} contributed the great spur wheel and a pinion to De Olde Molen in Aruba.

Similarly, another polder mill in Onderdendam, named Onderwierumer Molen (Onderwierumer mill),{{Cite web |title=De Onderwierumer Poldermolen - CollectieGroningen Molens |url=https://groningermolens.nl/molens/molen?molen=77&cHash=cf2609d5af0c6299f52222943bcfb3cd |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=groningermolens.nl}} was purchased for two-hundred guilders and demolished in 1958. This mill donated the bovenwiel ({{Interlanguage link|Brake wheel (windmill)|lt=brake wheel|nl|bovenwiel}}) and bonkelaar (wallower) to Aruba.

The reconstruction efforts received a symbolic start in March 1961 when Lieutenant Governor F.J.C. Beaujon (1959–1963) placed the first stone. The entire rebuilding process was overseen by millwright J.D. Medendorp. It was constructed by Bohama NV with H. van Strien as head engineer.{{Cite book |last=Klooster |first=Olga van der |url=http://archive.org/details/monumentengidsar0000kloo |title=Monumentengids Aruba |date=2013 |publisher=Amsterdam : KIT Publishers ; Oranjestad : Fundacion Editorial Charuba |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-94-6022-220-7}} De Olde Molen was weatherboarded with a new six-meter-elevated wooden stage surrounding the base of the mill. By March 1962, construction was complete and since September of that year, it has served as a restaurant.{{cite web |title=Tourism |url=http://www.historiadiaruba.aw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&itemid=39&lang=en |access-date=19 February 2022 |website=Historia di Aruba}} After the seven-week reconstruction, the intention was to put the sails in commission. However, due to the strong trade winds, the sails were fixed into place to protect against damage. The acquisition, transportation, reconstruction, and establishment of the restaurant collectively required over 175,000 Netherlands Antillean guilders, a sum that was raised in Aruba through the incorporation of the De Olde Molen NV.

In 1965, De Olde Molen restaurant reopened under new management by Karel Schmand and W.A. Strijland, who also managed the floating Bali restaurant in Oranjestad. The restaurant had been closed for the past one-and-a-half years due to financial difficulties.{{Cite news |date=1965-12-01 |title=Nadat de eerste gasten van het restaurant De Olde Molen op Aruba gisteravond genoten hadden van een goed verzorgd koud buffet van chefkok Jacques bediende hij ook zijn werkgevers Kare': Schmand en W.A. Strijland. |work=Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010462482:mpeg21:a0112 |access-date=2023-09-10}} In 1973, Joseph Patterson acquired De Olde Molen from K. Schmand and embarked on an extensive restoration project for the windmill. He also adorned the restaurant with furniture and paintings dating from the 9th to the 18th century.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=olde+molen+1804&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010460325:mpeg21:a0127&resultsidentifier=ddd:010460325:mpeg21:a0127&rowid=2 |title=Oranjestad |website=Amigoe di Curacao |date=30 January 1973 |language=nl |access-date=19 February 2022}} In the interior, there are still inscriptions that recall the different previous owners of the mill in the Netherlands. However, in 2001, when Medendorp returned to Aruba, he expressed disappointment upon discovering that the sails had been incorrectly attached and were also too short during the restoration. Consequently, the mill rotates clockwise, whereas traditional Dutch windmills typically turn counterclockwise.

{{Multiple image

| image1 = Aankomst premier de Quay op Aruba, begroeting door F J C Beaujon, Bestanddeelnr 912-2919.jpg

| image2 = Landschap - Bubali, De Olde Molen, een restaurant 850116.jpg

| image3 = Olde Molen.JPG

| caption1 = left to right: Lieutenant Governor F.J.C. Beaujon and Jan de Quay

| caption2 = Short sails and still installed counterclockwise (1955–1985)

| caption3 = The sails installed incorrectly, clockwise, and too short. (2013)

| align = center

| total_width = 600

}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://zoeken.allemolens.nl/detail.php?id=25651 Mill database | De Olde Molen/ Molen van Snelter/ Molen van Jonker | allemolen.nl]
• [https://groningermolens.nl/molens/molen?molen=281&cHash=3f3769a6579ba9cc78fe288f529a6791 Groninger mill database | De korenmolen van Snelter [The gristmill of Snelter] | Groningermolens.nl]
• [https://www.molendatabase.org/molendb.php?step=details&tbnummer=06424 Mill database | De Olde Molen/ Molen van Snelter/ Molen van Jonker | molendatabase.org]

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{{Buildings in Aruba}}

Category:Windmills in Aruba

Category:Buildings and structures in Noord

Category:Windmills completed in 1815

Category:Tourist attractions in Aruba

Category:Windmills in Groningen (province)

Category:Smock mills in Aruba