by Madalyn O’Neill, Channel3000
Now, five days after the explosion that destroyed parts of town and left one firefighter dead, the city of Sun Prairie is looking to rebuild, including one iconic building across the street from the explosion site.
The Old City Hall building on 100 East Main Street is in what’s considered the “green zone,” still fenced off from the public.
“It looks like a war zone to me,” said Sun Prairie resident Clem Schwartz. “All I’ve seen is from TV and newspapers, but it doesn’t tell half the story. I couldn’t believe the damage here.”
Along with several other visitors, Schwartz came to the fenced-off site to take pictures of the destruction he never thought he’d see in the city he calls home.
For the sake of the community, his photographs are hopefully a brief snapshot of history before the city can rebuild.
“Oh, on Tuesday night it was absolute shock,” said David Wilder, who owns the Old City Hall building along with Brian Wolfe. They were planning to restore the historic building when they bought it.
“It was built in 1895 by the residents of this community as a symbol of strength, and it was built to last,” Wilder said. “It was built to last, and it will.”
