De Hoosmolen is a polder mill or dewatering mill on the edge of the Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen nature reserve in Drongen, a borough of the Belgian city of Ghent.
The mill can be found in notarial deeds as early as 1316, making it the oldest known of its kind. Most likely there was already a mill in the 12th century that ensured the drainage of Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, whereby the excess water was discharged via the Grijtgracht (formerly called Rietgracht) into the higher Lys.
After the troubled times in the first half of the 16th century, the mill was rebuilt in 1597 as a wooden octagonal ground sailer, which was replaced in 1701 by a stone one (the current octagonal hull) commissioned by David Brandt, Lord of Mariakerke.
In 1852 wind power was replaced by a steam engine and a tall square chimney was erected. Around 1860, hood and runway were removed from the mill. The paddle wheel was replaced in 1897 by the still existing Phoenix centrifugal pump. In 1945 they switched to electric drive.
In 2016, the Lys is locally cut off from its upper course. From the autumn, the rainwater is no longer drained. In this way the area is flooded and the former flooding of the Lys is simulated. Only from March is the water slowly drained through sluices and the pump installation in the old Hoosmolen.
Source: Wikipedia