So Much to See and Do at BHS WINDMILL VILLAGE!

1795 Higgins Farm Windmill

Originally located in E. Brewster, about 5 miles from its present site. It is authenticated in a map dated 1795 which shows the mill standing close to what is now the corner of Rte. 6A and Ellis Landing Road. Reportedly, the eerie creaking of the mill’s arms frightened passing horses, and it was moved, at some unrecorded time, about 100 yards down Ellis Landing. Around 1890, it was moved across the road to the Roland Nickerson estate (now Ocean Edge Resort) to serve as a club house for the Nickersons’ private golf course.

1867 Hopkins Blacksmith Shop

In 1867 Henry Hopkins, with his father Moses, built a blacksmith shop at their Depot Road location. Hopkins shod horses and made hinges, hooks and pulleys, among other tools. In 2009, the BHS acquired the shop and moved it to our Windmill Village grounds adjacent to the Drummer Boy Park. With Community Preservation Act funds, the shop was restored to a condition as nearly authentic as is possible today. One of the most unusual features of the shop is its wood forge - most restored forges seen today are made of stone or brick, because a wood forge seldom survives the ravages of time.

1795 Harris-Black House

John Harris, a “seafaring man",” and wife Sarah, a Native American descended from two of the Cape’s most prominent sachems, paid five pounds eight shillings for three acres of woodland and built this sixteen foot square house. They had six children. To our knowledge, of the many small early houses believed to have existed throughout the Cape, only one has survived. First used as a homestead dwelling, as it passed down through generations it was later used as a cranberry storeroom and a small forge. The house was eventually moved to its present location and restored by John MacKenzie. The BHS maintains it as part of the Village.

Watch the windmill video here

watch the blacksmith shop video here

watch the harris-black house video here

1795 Higgins Farm Windmill wooden workings

Windmill cap wheel and blacksmith shop behind

Harvest Market Pumpkin Painting Fun — Harvest Bazaar Pumpkin Painting Fun

Widow’s War Tour Group at the Windmill — *Seasonal* Tour Group at the Windmill

Brewster Windmill — 1795 Windmill Holiday Lighting

Mike Reveruzzi Entertains Visitors at the 1867 Hopkins Blacksmith Shop