Hermosa Beach officials began dismantling the historic Vetter Windmill along Pacific Coast Highway Thursday, saying recent examinations found corrosion that could cause the windmill blades to detach in high winds or an earthquake.
The iconic structure at Greenwood Park, located in front of a Trader Joe’s store on Pacific Coast Highway north of Aviation Boulevard, dates back to the early 1900s when it was built by farmer Herman Vetter to draw water from underground wells.
The windmill originally stood at roughly Ardmore Avenue and 16th Street, currently the home of Hermosa Valley School. It was moved to its current location in the 1990s after being renovated.
According to the city, the area surrounding the windmill has been cordoned off and warning signs have been posted.
The windmill blades were removed Thursday, and a crane will be used to remove the rest of the windmill assembly from the wooden tower on Friday.
City officials said in a statement that an engineering report “identified serious structural concerns” with the windmill. Most notably, it found that the support assembly holding the windmill blades in place was corroded, “posing a serious risk that high winds or land movement could cause it to detach.”
The city is working with engineers to “identify options moving forward.”