Murphy Windmill

Murphy Windmill
Murphy Windmill
Origin
Mill location	Golden Gate Park
Coordinates	37°45′50″N 122°30′29″W / 37.764°N 122.508°W
Operator(s)	San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Year built	1908
Information
Purpose	Water Pump
Type	Smock
No. of sails	4
Other information	114 foot sail length San Francisco Designated Landmark

The Murphy Windmill is a functioning windmill in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States. It was completed in 1908, and placed on the San Francisco Designated Landmark list in 2000.

Location

The windmill is south of Dutch Windmill on the western edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California.^[1]

History

In the 1870s and 1880s, Golden Gate Park was planted on sand dunes and required substantial irrigation.^[2] In 1902, the Park Commission authorized the construction of two windmills to pump groundwater for park irrigation rather than purchasing water at exorbitant costs from the Spring Valley Water Company.^[3] The Murphy Mill was completed in 1908,^[4] and pumped 40,000 gallons per day to the park.^[5]

Electric water pumps replaced the need for windmills in 1913, and the mill fell into disrepair. By the 1950s, the mill was in a state of ruin. In 1964, the San Francisco Citizens Commission for the Restoration of the Golden Gate Park Windmills was formed and led by Eleanor Rossi Crabtree, daughter of former San Francisco mayor Angelo Rossi. Plans for the Murphy Mill restoration began in 2002, with a reopening in 2012.^[6]^[7]

It was placed on the San Francisco Designated Landmark list on July 2, 2000.^[8]

Events

Since 2012 the Dutch community in the Bay Area celebrates King's Day every year at the end of April near Murphy Mill. The event celebrates Dutch culture and traditions, including old Dutch kids games, flea market, Dutch food, beer, music, and dancing.^[9]