Mill the Zaandplatte - Ruinen

In the former municipality of Ruinen, a total of 13 mills, 11 of them corn mills, have stood over the years. Only the corn mill De Zaandplatte has been preserved. Research has shown that the mill, which used to stand on the Hoogeveensche vaart, dates from 1789 or earlier. We know this from map material and names of millers.

In 1962, the municipality of Ruinen bought the mill (a grondzeiler) from the then owner, who could no longer maintain it. The mill was dismantled and moved to its current location. In 1964, the rebuilding of the mill as a 'belt mill' was completed and it was given the name 'De Zaandplatte'. From 1964 to 1991, the mill was used as a summer house. The mill had sails and in the mill was a grinding seat with all the wheels further up, but the mill did not turn during those years. It could not, because the trees grew through the sails.

In 1989, rumour had it that the mill was to be turned into a pancake restaurant. In response, the Friends of the Ruiner Mill De Zaandplatte Foundation was established in 1990 with the aim of preserving and restoring the mill to its original state.