Grafton landmarks in need of repair

The iconic lime kilns at Lime Kiln Park were fenced off last week after bricks began to fall off the structures, and the fence will likely remain until spring.

Parks and Recreation Director Chad Hoier said the kilns, which were last repaired about 20 years ago, are structurally sound but need tuckpointing around the base.

“The kilns are quite old and they have been neglected,” he said. “The mortar inside the stone and brick area is deteriorating.

“People go around and pull on stuff.”

The cost of repairing the kilns has not been determined, Hoier said. The village will use the same contractor, Holton Brothers, that did the most recent repairs.

The kilns that date to 1890 were used by the Milwaukee Falls Lime Company to produce lime, which is used in construction and agriculture, from Dolomite ore mined from the quarry at the site, according to village documents. The quarry was later filled and the area became Lime Kiln Park.

The kilns stopped operating in the 1920s.

The repairs will come before the Parks and Recreation Board for approval.