Weatherstone History
For many years, what is now known as Weatherstone was a quiet collection of wheat and alfalfa farms belonging to the Simpson, White, Graf, and Kutchera families. Today, with 522 lots, all with completed homes, the subdivision has remaining reminders of its original layout. The Thomson Corporation purchased the farms during the late 1970s, and the land was pooled together, developed, and divided into residential lots. The subdivision quickly became popular as thousands of visitors were introduced to it during the 1980 Parade of Homes sponsored by the Milwaukee Builders Association. That first Parade involved just a few homes along the east end of Scarborough Drive. Six additional Parades followed, and many lots were purchased as a result of the exposure the subdivision received from them. In 1982, the Parade was held on Victoria Circle between Scarborough and Weatherstone Boulevard. In 1983, another Parade was held further east on Scarborough. Coventry was the Parade host in 1985, and homes along Cavendish and Wimbledon were featured in the 1986 event. The final Parade was held in 1986 on Avon Drive, the first street of Weatherstone West.
As the subdivision grew, several felt the need to organize a neighborhood association. In late 1984, a Steering Committee comprised of residents met to prepare bylaws for what was to become the Weatherstone/Weatherwood Homeowners Association (WHA). The four purposes of WHA were stated in the bylaws: To improve and maintain a desirable and safe neighborhood; to maintain property values; to be informed of relevant city and county developments; and to maintain ongoing social events. Four committees were organized: Legislation & Ordinance, Projects, Safety, and Community Activities. The first major accomplishment of the new association was to establish a subdivision-wide Neighborhood Watch Program for crime prevention. A four-page neighborhood directory was also published that first year but quickly became obsolete as the subdivision grew.
A Progressive Dinner, held in 1984, marked the first of many organized social events throughout the history of the subdivision. This popular event featured a round-robin of dinner courses at different homes. Other social events sponsored by WHA through the years include an annual Ladies' Night Out, Halloween parties, golf outings, New Year's Eve parties, and summer picnics. After a strong beginning, the original Weatherstone Homeowners Association lost momentum when several of its founders moved. In 1988, the Association was reorganized. Dennis Horbinski was elected President and re-elected every year for the next six years. Several major goals were achieved in the new era of WHA. In 1990, under the leadership of Chuck and Mary Strehiow, all Weatherstone residents were surveyed regarding the potential development of a city park in the neighborhood. Support was strong, and within one year, after petitioning the New Berlin Common Council, funds originally set aside by lot buyers were released for park development.
In order to allow as much of the budget as possible for park development, Weatherstone residents organized a Park Clean-Up in the spring of 1991 to clear shrubs and trash in anticipation of the grading, leveling, and tree removal scheduled for that summer. The cleanup has since become an annual event. By the end of 1992, the park was well on its way with a child's playground, basketball court, baseball field, and nature trail. On June 12, 1993, the mayor and other city officials dedicated Weatherstone Park during the first annual Park Picnic for all Weatherstone families. To commemorate the event, the Glen Park School Girl Scouts planted a flowering crabapple tree near the playground. WHA later added the flower garden near the entrance sign. Other significant developments of WHA during Dennis Horbinski’s presidency include the establishment of a Block Captain network to welcome new residents and distribute flyers; production of a quarterly newsletter to keep residents informed of upcoming events and issues of concern; political forums prior to significant elections and an annual Food Drive to benefit the New Berlin Food Pantry. Currently, the popular Food Drive has grown to a collection of thousands of pounds of donated items.