| Type: | Oil mill |
| Since: | 1622 |
| Owner: | Vereniging De Zaansche Molen |
| Miller: | Matthijs Ero |
| Location: | Diederik Sonoyweg 19, 1509 BR Zaandam |
| Phonenumber: | +31 75-6215148 (office De Zaansche Molen) |
| E-mail: | [email protected] |
HISTORY
De Ooievaar was an oil mill in Assendelft, was reborn in Zaandam as an oil mill – and to this day is still an oilmill.
For many years, however, De Ooievaar lived another life – just as many of its peers. After 1897, the mill was used to grind husks and thereafter cocoa waste until it finally fell still.
The Zaan area used to have hundreds of this kind of mill. The Society is fortunate enough to have two other mills within its ranks: De Zoeker and De Bonte Hen. These mills were used to produce various sorts of vegetable oils, such as linseed, rapeseed oil and cole seed oil, to name but a few.
In 1936, De Ooievaar was finally closed down. The mill gradually fell into disrepair until there was nothing left of it. That is until the Society decided to embrace this wreck and in September 1955. A restoration plan was drawn up immediately that was fortunate enough to receive the necessary approvals from the appropriate authorities. A year later, the mill looked like a million dollars and was once again taken into use.
For the last half century, De Ooievaar has gazed out over the Zaan towards its nextdoor neighbour in Zaandijk – the flourmill known as De Bleeke Dood.
In 2015, partly due to the winning of the BankGiro Loterij windmill prize, the harbor and crane entrance were restored and the mill was completely restored again. Now there is the possibility to reach the mill via the water.
More history: Click here
