Poul la Cour of Denmark, the Danish Windpower Pioneer,
and His Wind Turbine

Photos From the Late 1800s

Poul la Cour is a well known name in the Danish wind industry, the pioneer who in the late 1800s first built a wind turbine in the more modern sense. This photo dates from 1897. Remember that this was before the beginning of aviation and still the time of the horse and buggy. Edison had just invented the electric light bulb twelve years before the larger turbine above was constructed (within an older mill) in 1891 and electric power itself was still something new.

Even these photos are only what are produced by early photographic equipment. For a better view of the details, the digital image brightness keys on the PC may be used for adjustment.

It is evident in the view above that Mr. la Cour was a person who treasured married life and perhaps received familial encouragement in his work. Two windpower machines are depicted and so it is presumed that he produced also the smaller one on the right for the home and farm. Notice that both of them have the small side facing multi-bladed rotors on the rear of the top housings that turn to yaw the main rotors. Similar ones are still seen in some of today's wind turbines and are used for the same purpose. In looking closely, one might see a man standing on a balcony near the left turbine, possibly Poul himself?

The larger turbine's blades appear to be made using the same construction technique as that of the smaller but it is doubtful that either one could be out in the elements and still producing power today. Is that an anemometer tower of the latest tube type over on the right?

It is clearly a mighty achievement for the times and deserving of a great deal of respect. Comments are welcomed about these photos as well as any stories associated with them.

Note: Above material source unknown. Reproduced here "fair use".