Yes, the wind may be blowing across the prairie but more importantly, what can be done with all this wind? We can’t stop it, we can’t change when it blows but we can make use of it. The early settlers used equipment similar to what was used in their “homeland” and developed equipment that would work on the prairies. There wasn’t a good supply of lumber so the big wooden, Dutch style windmills weren’t practical. The smaller wooden or metal structures with large fan blades on the top were better suited to the prairies. Originally, the windmills were used to operate pumps that pulled water up from the wells for the families and livestock. Once electrically operated appliances became available, windmills were used to generate power to operate them.
Once you find the cache, take a walk around. Most of the structures are labeled. If you want to learn more about life on the prairies, visit the other facility on the site. The name of the community Etzikom comes from the Blackfoot language word for valley or coulee, referring to Etzikom Coulee.