03/03/2026
Our wonderful board member and past president, Sally Chadwick, shared this story. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Thank you, Sally, for the Greendale memory. 💖
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ALONZO HAUSER RELIEF GOES DOWN BROAD STREET
Have you ever wondered how the Alonzo Hauser’s relief of a young male, female and pony wounded up at the Welcome Center.
Let me tell you the story I know about.
My husband Jay and I had moved to Greendale and purchased a modest home in the “M” section. We were already members of the Greendale Jaycees and Jaycettes before we moved here in 1977.
At that time the Greendale Public Library was on the east side of Broad St. (At that time, it was the only store front library left in the state of Wisconsin.) They had obtained a new location across Broad St. at 5647 Broad St. – their current location. The library put out a call for help among the citizens to help move their huge book, etc. inventory. The Jaycees & Jaycettes were among those citizens, carrying books from the old location to the new one across street. All went smoothly.
Then came the time to move the items from the basement of the old library to their new spot.
Laying on a set of sawhorses was this old piece of art work – it looked like it was cracked cement. The Library really didn’t want it nor did they really have a spot in their basement to store it.
Oh my – what to do – None of us really knew what this “art” piece was until later when research was done to see that this was the “Original” relief made by Alonzo Hauser that was submitted to the Federal Government as a model for what he wanted to create on the outside wall of the Greendale Community Building (now the Greendale Middle School). If approved, he could create the real piece (and it was larger) on the outside wall of the Community Building. It was approved and he did create that piece. (What happened to that one, is another story.)
But that still didn’t answer about what to do with the model one. The library didn’t have the extra space to preserve it. But who should come to the rescue but John (father) and Larry (son) of Puhl’s True Value who had their store on the corner of the east Village Stores (currently Vintage 38). The relief was held in storage for several years in their basement until the Greendale Historical Society was given space in the basement of the Library around 1990. At that time, Steve Lister and Bud Fielder saw it, and said they would donate the time & wood to create a stand for the relief and repair the cracked areas as well. So for years the relief was perched on its wood pedestal in the hallway in the basement of the library.
In 2016, when the Welcome Center was created, the relief was able to find a home on the wall of the Welcome Center for all citizens and visitors to see.
Special thanks to the former Jaycees, Jaycettes, John & Larry of Puhl’s True Value, and the Village Carpenters (Lister & Fielder) for keeping our Alonzo Hauser Relief save for us to enjoy today.
Story by Sally Chadwick
