Graffiti on Historic Hose Tower Building Riles Residents

Graffiti found the day after Christmas on the historic Hose Tower building has people wondering who would do such a thing.

An anonymous caller reported the graffiti -- large taggings located on two sides of the building -- Dec. 26 to the Greendale Police Department.

Police say it’s too early to speculate on whether or not someone from the village committed the crime. They sent a photo of the graffiti to the Milwaukee Police Department to compare with similar taggings in the metro area.

Village Manager Todd Michaels said that the Department of Public Works has been sampling different methods to remove the graffiti without damaging the brickwork.

Michaels said they do not have an estimate of how much the work might cost the village.

The Hose Tower building has been a source of pride for Greendale as the community has rallied to put the building into use in time for the 75th Anniversary celebration.

The Greendale Historical Society and a team of volunteers recently began work on the interior on the Hose Tower to prepare it for the construction of public restrooms, a kitchen, and other interior facilities including public meeting space.

The  for the re-adaptation of this historic building in the heart of Greendale’s National Historic Landmark District. The Village of Greendale 

Even school children are involved. A third grade class at Canterbury Elementary School sold books about Greendale history and donated the $200 sales to the Greendale Historical Society’s Hose Tower Preservation project fund.