Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
go to the home page of the two RV Gypsies
Table of Content index
learn about Karen and Lee Duquette email the two RV Gypsies sgin the guestbook of the Two RV Gypsies
Alaska visits by the two RV Gypsies
places in Canada the two RV Gypsies have visited
see countries and cruises The two RV Gypsies on cruises visit the USA sites
learn about Brian Duquette's tragedy places before 2008 Links to other RV site RV help for travelers vidoes by the Two RV Gypsies

While driving to Coulee Dam, the two RV Gypsies
were surprised to see an amazing Windmill Garden
July 14, 2013

These windmills once surrounded Emil Albert and Stella Veva Gehrke's home. They have been featured in both Columbia Broadcasting and ABC Television films and in a December 1975 National Geographic Magazine. Emil began his occupation of making windmills from scrap in 1965. Emil and Stella traveled 62,000 miles picking up thrown-away materials to create over 500 windmills, whirligigs, and merry-go-rounds. The two RV Gypsies were amazed by these windmills.

Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills

The windmills were assembled in the basement of the Gehrke home. The windmill paddles were made from coffee pots, cookie tins, plastic bowls, fan blades, sandbox shovels, and parts of old farm machinery. Most of the turning hubs were made from bicycle wheels. Old metal pieces, scrap iron, nuts and bolts hold the pieces together.

Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's merry-go-round
Emil Gehrke's gizmos

All of the windmills and merry-go-rounds turn, though some with heavier wheels required more wind than others. Old washer tubs made attractive flower planters.

Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills

Stella's hobby was collecting buttons, resulting in more than 9,000 buttons, none alike. All were sewn on heavy cardboard with some beautifully displayed as clever flower plaques or in a "horn of plenty" arrangement.

Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
a little man

Emil was born on February 29, 1884 and died on July 6, 1979. Stella was born on March 22, 1902 and died on May 29, 1980.

Emil Gehrke's windmills
Emil Gehrke's windmills
a flower sticking through the Windmill Garden's fence

This is not a linear site, so to continue navigating this website, please choose from the three options below:

Look below for more great adventures

go back to the previous page Return to the Washington menu to see more of the Washington adventures in the order of your choice

OR
continue on to the next Adventure in Washington stateContinue viewing the two RV Gypsies' adventures in Washington in the order they occurred - Dry Falls - once the world's largest waterfall.
OR
continue on to Oregon If you have already seen all of the 16 sites in Washington, please continue on to Oregon