DECEMBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 33
screen kiosks complete with the
re-creation of ambient noises of the
once roaring factory machines guide
tourists through the experience.
As a museum, its purpose has
become to help people understand
that innovation, resourcefulness,
hard work and thrift are keys to
living successfully through changing
times. The factory demonstrates how
Americans have historically relied on
and continue to use renewable natural
resource energy to enhance their
quality of life. As the last historic and
intact windmill factory known, it is
now an exclusive reminder of this era
in time.
The museum retains the promise for
a viable future. The resurgence of wind
power development, combined with
the trend toward a more sustainable
human existence through investment
in renewable energy, proves a living
lesson exists among the artifacts. And
though rural and small-town museums
generally receive less attention than
their urban counterparts, those working
to preserve the museum hope to change
that, aiding in the revival of interest in
these pioneer emblems through the use
of hard work and word-of-mouth.
The old-fashioned way. ■
Plan your visit to the factory at
Kregelwindmillmuseum.com.
Visitors have remarked that the museum is so well-preserved, it appears as though the
workers have merely stepped out for lunch.
View more images of the Kregel
Windmill Factory Museum.
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