Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Committee eyes windmill collection

A committee representing several community entities is looking into purchasing the massive Dalley collection of windmills to keep the eclectic local attraction together and in Portales.

Bill and Alta Dalley recently contacted the Chamber of Commerce about passing the windmills on to the city for generations to enjoy long after they are gone.

“I’m 78 now, I’m getting a little old to climb windmills,” Dalley said. “We’ve been collecting windmills, since 1980. We would like to keep them in this area because we’ve had lots of people to come by or look us up just to visit.”

Dalley has more than 80 windmills in his collection, most given to him by people in the community over the years. Dalley, who is retired, builds and repairs the windmills as a hobby.

Dalley said some communities spread windmills out across the town. But Dalley believes they are more attractive and artistic if bunched together in one location.

“I think it will be an attraction for the city...they have been for us,” Dalley said.

Chamber of Commerce Director Sharon King said a chamber committee wants to develop a master plan to assist in applying for grants to help purchase and set up the windmills.

“We’re working with the city to come up with a aerial shot of the windmills,” King said. “So people can get a visual and see what we are talking about.”

The committee is made up of two members from the chamber, and one each from Roosevelt County, Eastern New Mexico University, the city, local businesses and the community.

King said she and Nicole Wilkinson will be taking inventory and taking pictures of the windmills in the near future.