The Davidson Windmill is a Great RVing Point of Interest

Another RVing On The Cheap or Stealth Van Dweller interesting place to take a break from driving is the Davidson Windmill. A fine example of early settler ingenuity, the Davidson Windmill was built by Jacob Davidson from locally available materials. Like those from his homeland of Finland, this grain mill supplied the area with flour and animal feed from 1904 to 1926.

Also on display is an original example of Finnish housing. The Eskolin log house has been relocated, and rebuilt as an authentic home of early days in the region.

Located on Hwy 13, about 6 miles east of the Hwy 2 & Hwy 53 intersection in the town of Lakeside, this windmill is easily visible from the road. It sits on the far side of a large open clearing with easy access from both directions. Ample parking is provided for everyone.

Today care for the old windmill is provided by the Old Brule Heritage Society, with tours available during certain times of the year.

Northwest Wisconsin is a fascinating area to visit. You can find many examples of what life was like back when the region was first settled. One and two room school houses can be found near almost every community, and small farmsteads dot the highway to this day. Even horse drawn school buses, mounted on ski's in winter and wheels in summer, brought children to learn their daily lessons.

Don't forget the big lake. Lake Superior supplied the fish that became the lively hood of many who came over from the old country. Commercial fishing still continues today, with both fresh and smoked fish available at roadside businesses all along both the north and south shores of Lake Superior.

This Slide Show of the Davidson Windmill and bits of early life along the south shore of Lake Superior will give you some idea of what our ancestors did to support themselves and educate their children.

Life could be hard in the old days, but if you come and see for yourself, you couldn't beat the scenery. With the beauty of Lake Superior and the abundance of fish, early settlers made the region their home. Modeled after what they left behind in the old country.