The original windmill was built in fries land (Holland) in 1804 for the purpose of pumping water from the lands that lay below sea level. After being damaged by a storm in 1878 it was disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere in Holland and used to mill grains, in 1929 it was again damaged by a storm and no longer used. In 1960 the remaining wooden structure was purchased by a Dutch merchant, brought to Aruba March 1961 and rebuilt atop a two storey concrete structure to be used as a Restaurant and Museum.