"The mouth of this valley opens into Monterey Bay, like a funnel, and the northwest wind from the Pacific draws up through this heated flue with terrible force. Sometimes the wind would nearly sweep us from our mules - it seemed nothing could stand its force."
William Brewer, 1860
Hot, dry afternoons are a Salinas Valley hallmark. However, it was this same wind that enabled early farmers to transform the parched earth into green fields. Windmills were used to harness the wind's energy. The huge spinning blades activated a gear system which was connected to a shaft. As the shaft moved up and down, water was drawn from deep beneath the earth. Hundreds of gallons of water could be pumped and stored in a pond or tank. When not in use, the windmill's tail was folded by turning a hand crank at the mill's base. It was the tail that kept the wheel facing into the wind.
Wind power could be harnessed to run farm machinery as well. In 1877, the U.S. Wind Engine and Pump Company designed a windmill which could be installed on top of a barn! Belts connected the shaft to the machinery inside the building. Monterey County farmer Duncan McKinnnan installed this system on his farm in 1890. His barley crusher, corn mill, barley cleaner, pump and many of his machine and carpentry shop tools were all wind driven!
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