Shelter Island landmark to soon spin again

A 210-year-old Shelter Island landmark is being brought back to life.

The Dominy Windmill at Sylvester Manor, first built in 1810, is getting a new windshaft and blades as part of an ongoing restoration and preservation project.

Master craftsman Jim Kricker and his team of millwrights from upstate Saugerties, arrived on Shelter Island last week and will be onsite for the next three weeks working to complete this stage of the project.

It’s expected that the windmill will be back in operational condition by next summer.

The Sylvester Manor windmill was originally built in Southold in 1810 by carpenter and millwright Nathaniel Dominy, originally designed to grind bushels of wheat, corn, rye and meslin.

In 1840, the mill was purchased by Joseph Congdon and moved to Shelter Island where it stood in the center of town near the present library. It was sold a few more times during the 19th century and resumed operation during World War I to help provide meal and flour to the island’s inhabitants.

It was moved in the 1920s to the highest elevation at Sylvester Manor, where it stands today. The windmill was restored in the 1950s, but was severely damaged by a hurricane and has been without blades ever since.

This windmill is one of 11 surviving 18th and 19th century wind-powered grist mills on Long Island.