Historic South Bay Windmill Partially Removed Due To Structural Issues

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — Access to the historic Vetter Windmill at Greenwood Park has been temporarily shut down after an engineering report found it had serious structural issues, according to Hermosa Beach officials.

The Vetter Windwill was built in the 1900s by John Vetter, a local farmer, city officials said. The windmill remains a unique symbol of Hermosa Beach's agricultural roots.

"It once drew water from wells beneath the valley where Hermosa Valley School now stands and later became a defining feature of the Vetter family’s dairy farm," city officials said in a statement Thursday. "Over the years, the windmill has been restored by community volunteers and was relocated to its current home in the 1980s."

But a recent engineering report found that the support system holding the windmill in place atop the wooden tower had corroded and posed a serious risk. City officials feared high winds or land movement could cause the windmill to detach from the tower.

As of Thursday, the Greenwood Park area where the windmill is located was taped off to ensure public safety, city officials said in a statement.

Crews also removed the windmill blades and will use a crane to get rid of the remaining assembly by Friday, city officials said. The bottom tower, meanwhile, will remain in place.

The unveiling of a new memorial marker honoring those who served in the military will continue Monday as planned. The ceremony will take place on the southern end of Greenwood Park.