Ocracoke Island had two more, including one that stood in the middle of Ocracoke Inlet on Shell Castle Island. Roanoke Island had as many as four, dotting the island from the northern tip south to Wanchese. Although Outer Banks residents grew little corn or wheat in the sandy soil, they had plenty of fish and shellfish to trade. A load of salted fish could be swapped for bushels of grain grown on the mainland. The heavy sacks were then brought back across the sounds where they could be ground as needed.
Windmills employ ancient technology.
They are first mentioned in the seventh century in Persia, now Iran. Legends say Genghis Khan's troops captured Persian millers and forced them to introduce windmill technology to China, where it is still used to power irrigation systems. Two basic windmill designs evolved among the Europeans. Dutch mills used a rotating top, or cap, which stood atop a large, multi-storied building. The cap and vanes were then spun to match the direction of the wind.