Windmill Beach — Attraction in Yarmouth

Judah Baker built his windmill in 1791 at Grand Cove in North Dennis. Judah built his windmill with a cone-shaped roof and two dormers. One dormer was for the mast and power shaft and the other dormer was for the tail pole. Judah Baker’s son Peter sold his father’s mill to Captain Freeman Crowell who moved the mill to East Dennis. The mill functioned until 1863 at Winkle Point in East Dennis. Captain Braddock Matthews bought the mill in 1866 and moved it to South Yarmouth “Lower Village” now known as Bass River. Seth Baker bought the windmill from Captain Matthews in 1875. Seth operated the windmill until his death in 1891. Seth’s son Joseph sold the mill in 1893 to William Stone. The mill no longer operated. A storm in 1916 damaged the mill. Charles Henry Davis assumed the guardianship of the mill and he moved it down the street to its present location. A deal was made in 1953 where the Town of Yarmouth took over the responsibility of the windmill.

Frothingham, a writer for a The Register describes how the roof of the mill was turned to face the wind: "The operation of the mill must have been fascinating. The whole roof and top beam and huge cog wheel were on rollers and could be rotated to head the sails into the wind. A long tail piece opposite the sails extended down from the roof to a wheel on the ground and this ran around the mill on a wooden track. It could be hauled by a horse, or even pushed by a number of men. The sails as we see them today are merely the slats on which canvas sails were spread and fastened to catch the wind."

Judah Baker Windmill was completely rebuilt in 1973. The interior structure, the shake shingles, the copula, the mast and the tail pole were all either rebuilt, replaced or restored. The mill was authentically rebuilt and restored using hand-hewn lumber where possible. The interior has the original mechanical equipment that the wind powered and stones that...

Story goes the Windmill was part of a 27 room house that was separated into a 13 room home and next door was the other half, a 14 room home. Our part had a tunnel that was said to have gone to the water to run rum. The windmill that was a part of the property was moved up the street. My husband and I and our sons rented the 13 room house for a couple of years. Then the house was sold. We spent many wonderful days on the water and at...

Loved it here. There's a small parking lot and a short length of brackish, warm, comfortable, clear water beach, keep your eyes open for jellyfish, hermit crabs, periwinkle snails and green crabs. There's also a small plot of lush green grass above the beach and it includes a bit of shade. Different from the usual commercial beaches, but lovely in it's...