Ever wondered what it’s like to step back in time and witness a traditional Dutch windmill at work? Here at the Zaanse Schans stands the Wipmolen Het Klaverblad a small wood sawing mill.
Het Klaverblad is not just any windmill. It represents the revival of a disappearing mill type in the Zaan region. Imagine a time when small windmills dotted the landscape. They provided extra income by sawing small beams and planks.
Ru Pos had a dream. He wanted to build a small mill on his land. This land was between the oil mills De Os and De Bonte Hen. Pos bought this piece of land outside the dike in 1973. Earlier the warehouse “Kromo” stood here.
Pos’s dream began to materialize between 2000 and 2005. Generous sponsors and the Hollandse Molen association helped him. They provided funds from the Sponsorloterij.
Het Klaverblad is a “lattenzager”. It’s a post mill with a platform on a shed. This type of mill was once common in the Zaan region. Now Het Klaverblad stands as a testament to the past.
But why “Het Klaverblad” or “The Clover Leaf”? The name is a tribute to the miller couple’s four daughters. It’s a charming detail that adds a personal touch to this historic structure.
You can still see the mill in operation. Wood is sawn on a voluntary basis. Contact miller Pos to arrange a visit. He is the former miller of the paltrok wood sawing mill De Gekroonde Poelenburg.
The Stichting Het Klaverblad now owns the mill. The foundation aims to erect, operate and maintain the windmill. The Wipmolen Het Klaverblad offers a glimpse into the Zaanstreek’s rich industrial past.