ARCADIA>> Harold Bissner Jr. never expected to see the windmill at the corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue to spin again.

Half a century ago, in his prime as an architect, Bissner was commissioned to design the template for Van de Kamp’s Holland Dutch Bakery’s coffee shop franchise. Opened in 1967, Arcadia’s was the first of 15 built from his designs.

Today, the Arcadia location remains as the last of the windmills.

• VIDEO: Van de Kamp’s windmill designer Harold Bissner Jr. speaks

Diner-chain Denny’s purchased the location in 1989. Since then, blades of the building’s windmill stopped spinning. That changed Wednesday afternoon.

Bissner and other local leaders gathered outside the Denny’s to officially reactivate the windmill, which is set to spin all day, every day, for the foreseeable future.

“You used to see the windmills in every city around here,” said Bissner, 92, of Pasadena. “It’s hard to believe this is the last one, but it’s nice to know there’s one left for people to enjoy.”

More than 50 people attended the festivities, held kitty corner from the Denny’s in Arcadia Park. The crowd came as no surprise to former mayor George Fasching, who pushed for Denny’s to reactivate the windmill for years.

“The windmill welcomes people into Arcadia’s downtown area, and it helps remind people of the city’s history, especially now that it’s lit and spinning like in its heyday,” Fasching said.

• PHOTOS: More views of the windmill ceremony

Denny’s spent about $100,000 refurbishing the windmill — replacing the motor, reinforcing the blades and adding new LED lighting — according to President and CEO John Miller.

“It’s a bigger bill than we initially thought,” Miller said. “But we figured when the windmill is still spinning in 100 years, the cost won’t matter.”

Mayor Pro Tem Peter Amundson, who has spent most of his life in Arcadia, said he hopes future generations will make memories at the restaurant like he did over the course of many meals at both Van de Kamp’s and Denny’s.

Amundson said he is often reminded of Van de Kamp’s, which made his wife’s favorite pastries.

“It was one of those things you take for granted till you lose it,” Amundson said. “Denny’s has been an excellent steward over the years, and it’s done even better in getting the windmill spinning again.”