Lubbock Museums

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American Wind Power Center
National Ranching Heritage Center

The American Wind Power Center in Lubbock is a place we just recently learned about...and had a chance to visit before our regular trips to Lubbock would come to an end. The museum has dozens (maybe hundreds?) of windmills and is dedicated to telling the story of wind power in rural america. Whether it was something as basic as a pump to get water to livestock, or as elite as a wind-powered radio, you will find it on display. Click here for the museum's web site....and click on each photo below for a larger view.

a 40-foot diameter windmill	This windmill looks like a boat propeller
This type of windmill would fold up with increasing wind speed. This design kept it from flying apart from spinning too fast .
	Some ranchers discovered dinosaur tracks while erecting windmills.	Looking down one aisle

		A clos eup look at the gears that powered the water pump. Ranchers would have to pour fresh oil into the gear box every day.

The National Ranching Heritage Center, also located in Lubbock, is on the Texas Tech University Campus. It is designed to show how ranching evolved in the Southwestern United states. There are several windmills here, as well. In addition you will find actual houses, stables, and even a train and train station, that were moved here from up to hundreds of miles away. Indoor exhibits tell the story of some famous ranchers, and there's even a display of early american firearms. Click here for the center's web site, and click each picture below for a larger view.


		I someone managed to lose most of the photos from this place. But I did find one of a nesting dove(above) and jackrabits(left)