With this year being the 75th anniversary I thought it might be interesting as well as fun to look back at Greendale’s beginnings from the viewpoint of its own residents and local news stories of the day. Every Thursday through the end of the year, I will be posting humorous, relevant or just interesting stories from Greendale’s original newspapers.
The following selected stories are copied exactly as they were originally written (including some misspellings) unless otherwise noted. Some may be shortened with “…”. They will be in bold and italicized type.
Also, just a reminder - Greendale first opened to residents on May 1, 1938
Find out what's happening in Greendalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
GREENDALE REVIEW – Saturday, July 29, 1939
BREWER-DODGER GAME SET FOR MONDAY NIGHT
Find out what's happening in Greendalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Larry MacPhail will bring his comical Brooklyn Dodgers to Milwaukee Monday, July 31 for an exhibition game with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers, now managed by Leo (Lippy) Durocher, are reputed to be the clowns of baseball with many weird tales and baseball oddities to their credit or discredit. However, in spite of their daffy reputation, they are making it tough for the other National Leaguers, and are now sporting a 4th place position in the National League race.
Three former Milwaukee Brewer pitchers have been responsible in large part for the present Dodger standing. Whitlow Wyatt, the Georgian gentleman farmer and ace 1938 Brewer pitcher, heads the list with his record of 8 wins and 3 losses. Tot Pressnell, knuckle ball artist, boasts 4 wins and 3 reversals, while Luke (the lion hearted) Hamlin has fast balled his way tom 8 victories losing 7.
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“DODGE CITY” COMING
“Dodge City”, a Warner Bros. production in Technicolor, starring Errol Flynn, is scheduled as a coming attraction at the Greendale Theatre, and will open there on August 12 for a three day engagement.
A blood and thunder story of the cattle country of the 1870’s it shows the growth of the famous Kansas town from a tiny settlement to a great trading center.
Featured with Flynn are Olivia de Haviland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Henry Travers, John Litel, Victor Jory, William Lundigan, Guinn Williams, Bobs Watson, Gloris Holden and a cast of hundreds of extra players.
Greendale “pioneers” are urged to see this story of the building of the west – and don’t forget to see it at the “Greendale Theatre”.
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GREENDALE REVIEW – Saturday, August 12, 1939
REGISTER AUTOMOBILES AT GREENDALE ADDRESS
The village manager requests that residents of Greendale when securing licenses for their automobiles be sure to indicate their Greendale address. This is desired because the refund of the highway privilege tax to the village is based on the number of automobiles registered in the village. In other words, the more automobiles registered from the village of Greendale the greater will be the proportion of the village’s share of these funds distributed by the state. It is understood that the village manager is now working out with the State Highway Commission the amount of funds to which the village is entitled for the current year.
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WPA COMPLETES CURBING
The curbing along both ends of Northway and along Southway has recently been completed by the WPA. The result has been a decided improvement in the appearance and safety of these streets. It has eliminated the danger of cars running onto the grass, which happened frequently in the past.
Community Manager Reeder expressed pleasure in the excellent progress of the WPA program during July. In addition to the curbing and the completion of the paving on Grange Avenue and South 60th streets considerable progress has been made in the drainage and grading of the athletic field located at the south end of Broad street. He announced that there would be a concentration of effort on the completion of the grading and landscaping throughout the village as soon as seasonal conditions permit.
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FURNACE CLEANING TO BEGIN SOON
The management will check furnaces and clean chimneys sometime during the month of August.
Tenants are responsible for removing all ashes and cleaning all material from grates so that the grates can be readily inspected. The management requests that furnaces and laundry stoves both be cleaned as soon as possible.
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SPEEDERS FINED
At the last court session the following cases were disposed of by Justice of the Peace Henry Radtke: Ed Dutsch, So. Milwaukee, fined $1 and costs for speeding on Northway; James Lavin, West Allis, fined $10 and costs for speeding on Grange; Wm. Eicholz, Milwaukee, fined $5 and costs for speeding.
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“ON YOUR WAY, BO”
The hospitality of the Greendale jail recently had to be refused to an itinerant “gentleman of the highways”, who, at 3 p.m., becoming alarmed at the approaching night, requested permission of Chief Taylor to bunk in the jail.
His request could not be granted, however, because the law requires an attendant at all times in a jail where anyone is confined, so he was politely escorted to the village limits and set upon his way.
The old fellow claimed to have been a resident of Wisconsin for more than 49 years and said he was in search of work. His unprepossessing appearance made one doubt if he would have any luck.
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CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON NEW GROUNDS BUILDING
Walter E. Kroening, assistant manager, reports that work has been started on the construction of a new grounds building to be located north and west of the central heating plant.
The structure will be 60 ft. x 36 ft., with a 40 ft. hose tower attached at its south end. This hose tower will be used for drying fire hose and can accommodate 1,000 lin. ft. of hose. The architecture will be similar to the present buildings. The exterior will be of “autumtint” brick which is the same brick used for the commercial buildings. The building will house trucks, road equipment, and lawn mowers. Its central location will facilitate quick distribution of equipment.
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MODEL HOME ATTRACTS DISTANT VISITORS
Among recent visitors at the model home were Mr. and Mrs. C. Wurl of greenbelt, Md. According to Joseph Melville, employed as a guide at the home, they were impressed by the spacious garden area that is part of each Greendale home, also the tavern and theatre, and the super-service station. They stated that in Greenbelt they paid $35 a month for the same size home a Greendaler may get at $27 a month.
Blanch West of Taylor, Ala., who is 96 years young, recently visited the home and remarked, “The homes are very fine, in fact they are much too good for the people.”
Moral: Do we tenants of Greendale appreciate what we have?
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Next week – Furniture supply becoming exhausted.
Thanks to the Greendale Historical Society, for which I am a member, for providing the original newspapers.
Steve Peters
