At the corner of Atterdag, turn left on Copenhagen, and then look to the right for the Danish-style Blue Windmill at Hamlet Square. Centuries ago, Danes used windmills to mill grain, pump water, or both. While the windmills in Solvang are not functional in that specific sense, they are part of Solvang’s iconic Danish appearance and a nod to the historic agricultural roots here.
Even before Danish immigrants came to Solvang, the Old Mission Santa Ines operated a highly successful agricultural community with large harvests, mills for grain and cloth, and substantial numbers of livestock. After the arrival of the Danish settlers in 1911, the area continued to be a bonanza for agriculture particularly dairy farms and ranches. Today, there continues to be many ranches, horse farms, orchards, row crops, and vineyards within the original boundaries of the original Danish-American Colony lands. Vineyards and wineries in particular have seen vastly increased acreage especially since 2004 when one of the world’s most influential wine experts, Robert Parker, Jr., praised the area’s wines in Food & Wine magazine. That same year, the Oscar-winning wine-trip movie Sideways was filmed on location in vineyards, tasting rooms and many locations around the area. You can enjoy the harvest bounty of Solvang in the town’s many wine-tasting rooms and at the Wednesday Farmers Market on First Street near Solvang Park. And don’t miss the annual Taste of Solvang events every March!
