Inside the Bubble

The Hose Tower and the Witness Tree

Inside the Bubble goes where few would think to go: Interviewing an Oak regarding Greendale's historic Hose Tower.

Long before there was a Ferch’s, long before there was a Greendale Village Hall, there was Oak.  This Oak – as we have grown to expect in Greendale – is above average in every way. It was an All-State Acorn. It won Class AA “Best Leaf” 7 years in a row. It’s Bio, “My Bark is Not Worse Than My Bite” won a Participation Ribbon.  This is not just another tree. Greendale Historical Society President Ted Mainella explained that this somewhat towering Oak is a “Witness Tree”. Being a “Witness Tree” is a fairly big deal. In its life – from a crazy little nut, to a gangling sapling and eventually to the strong hulk of tree you see today – this Oak has seen it all. This Oak witnessed the birth and the growth of Greendale. As a tree, it helped put …

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Greendale Historical Society to be Honored by Chamber

The Greendale Historical Society has been chosen as the Greendale Chamber of Commerce's member of the year.

For years, the Greendale Historical Society has tried to preserve and foster appreciation for Greendale. On Feb. 12, it will be the Historical Society itself that will be appreciated. The Greendale Historical Society has been selected as the Greendale Chamber of Commerce’s member of the year, and will be recognized at the annual awards banquet next month. The Historical Society, which has 330 members, was founded in 1976 to collect, preserve and make available materials relating to Greendale’s history. The society holds quarterly meetings that are open to the public and feature a variety of informative presentations, and the society participates in all Village of Greendale activities and functions. The non-profit volunteer organization has…

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2013 Greendale Historical Calendar is Here!

Then and Now photos are featured in the calendar. Compare what the Village Center use to look back then to now. Some original homes are also featured.

The 2013 Greendale Historical Society calendar is titled Then and Now. It features images of Greendale in the early days next to current images . Each calendar costs $10.00 or you can get three for $20.00. The calendars will be sold Saturday, October 20 at the Open Market and then at the Annual Halloween Walk. It also be stocked in the Greendale Historical Society office after that (level below the Greendale Health Department). Call the Greendale Historical Society office at (414) 423-7064 for more buying information.

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$500 Historical Society Prize Real Windfall for Elderly Woman

The Clement Manor resident who won the grand prize of the Greendale Historical Summer Raffle is using the money to help pay a hospital bill for a broken arm.

An elderly resident at Clement Manor was the lucky winner of the $500 prize of the Greendale Historical Society’s Summer Raffle. Delores Deremgowski, a mother and grandmother, was ecstatic to hear the news. The widow recently fell and broke her arm while grocery shopping. She says she will use the prize for her hospital bill. Society members William Kewan, Kathleen Hart and Kevin Nitka presented Deremgowski with the prize at Clement Manor on Tuesday. Deremgowski says she never passes up a raffle but this is the first time she won. “I buy one everywhere I go even if it’s a dollar,” said Deremgowski. The second prize winner of $250 was recent high school graduate Lauren Nitka who will be using her prize towards her schooling. The cash prize …

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Jane Kaczmarek Honorary Chair for Greendale Historical Society

The president of the Greendale Historical Society announced Greendale's celebrity has agreed to become an honorary chairperson for the society.

Jane Kaczmarek will join the Greendale Historical Society as an Honorary Chairperson for the fundraising campaign for the Grounds Building and Hose Tower project. Kaczmarek is best known for her role as Lois, the mother on the FOX television series "Malcolm in the Middle." She's a seven-time Emmy®-Award nominee, three-time Golden Globe® Award nominee and won the American Comedy Award and the Television Critics Award in two consecutive years. Kaczmarek grew up in Greendale and attended Greendale High School.  Greendale Historical Society President Ted Mainella announced on Thursday at a meeting that Kaczmarek has agreed to become an Honorary Chairperson. Society member Bob De Roche met Kaczmarek at Airport and pitched the idea through email…

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Greendale Historical Society's Walking Tour

A walking tour of the “A” section featuring a narrative guide of the Originals homes and public landmarks in the Village of Greendale will be offered during Village Days.

Greendale Historical Society Day Trip

Go on a four tour stop trip to Racine/Kenosha with Greendale Historical Society.

Historical Society Walking Tour

Take a 45-minute walking tour of Greendale's historic "B" section this Saturday during the Open Market.

Last Call for Day Trippers for Historical Society’s Bus Trip to Racine, Kenosha

The June 29 trip will take visitors to Civil War Museum, Racine Heritage Museum, SC Johnson Wax Visitor’s Center and Wingspread.

Seats are filling up fast for the Greendale Historical Society’s motor coach trip to Racine and Kenosha on June 29.  Participants on the day trip will tour the Civil War Museum, Racine Heritage Museum, SC Johnson Wax Visitor’s Center, and Wingspread.  Built during the same period the Village of Greendale was being constructed, Wingspread is a Prairie style home now used as a conference center by the Johnson Foundation.  Designed by Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Wingspread is nestled in a woodland setting on the Lake Michigan shoreline and boasts a thirty foot chimney rising from its center with five fireplaces on three levels and dappled sunlight throughout. More of Wright’s design artistry can be seen at the SC Johnson Wax …

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Third Graders Raise Funds for Hose Tower By Creating Greendale History Books

A third grade Canterbury class created and sold Greendale History books to help raise funds for the Hose Tower.

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. On Friday the class presented Greendale Historical Society board members Ted and Mary Mainella with a "check" of $205. The idea emerged when teachers Jenna LePine, Randy Beres and Katie Matel took the class on a tour of Greendale's Village Center, which included the Hose Tower. The idea was born shortly after. It took the class about three months to complete the book, according to LePine. The Hose Project calls for renovation of the building and turning it into a community gathering place. The Village agreed last year to match funds raised by the …

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