In 1936, the U.S. Resettlement Administration began construction of Greendale, one of the three Greenbelt towns. The federal government constructed 366 residential buildings containing 572 living units and established a Tenant Selection Committee to oversee the selection of renters. In 1938, the community incorporated and became the village of Greendale. In 1952, the federal government permitted the residents of Greendale to purchase the single and multi-family dwellings, the electric and telephone utilities were sold to private companies, and all other public buildings, grounds, and facilities became the property of the village government.
