Windmill Construction, 1979, photo 3

This image shows the transportation of a blade from the windmill being constructed atop Howard's Knob in Boone, NC, in May 1979. The blade is positioned on the back of a flatbed truck and being driven up a backroad to the top of the mountain. A small crowd of onlookers can be seen in the foreground. Sponsored by General Electric, U.S. Department of Energy, Blue Ridge Electrical Membership Co-op, and NASA, the Howard's Knob windmill was part of a movement away from foreign energy sources and was to generate wind-powered energy for Boone residents. Completed in July 1979, the world's largest windmill had blades measuring 220 feet across, and was estimated that, with 25 mph wind, it would generate enough power for 300 homes. However, the windmill never generated any energy, and was dismantled in August 1983.

Windmills

Public Utilities

Appalachian State University

General Picture Files, 2004.040, Box 1, Howard's Knob Wind Generator, C14.2.1.1.

University Archives, Appalachian State University

1979-05

News Bureau

JPEG

Photographs

English

Image

Boone (N.C.). General Electric Company. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.). Department of Energy (U.S.)

Howard's Knob (n.d.)

Series 11 -- Local Area

0832_2004_040_A.jpg

The Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Digitization Project is supported with federal Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources through the North Carolina ECHO, 'Exploring Cultural Heritage Online' Digitization Grant Program.

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