YIKES! Watertown man finds Civil War-era cannonball in his yard & keeps it for a year

WATERTOWN (WITI) -- Watertown Fire Chief Gregory Michalek tells FOX6 News a Civil War-era cannonball found in a resident's yard has been detonated.

Michalek tells FOX6 News the resident apparently discovered the cannonball last year when he was digging in his yard.

The man kept the cannonball until this week -- when he was going to donate it to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison.

The man talked with the museum's curator -- who encouraged him to call the Fire Department immediately.



The Watertown Fire Department was called on Wednesday, June 4th, and they contacted Milwaukee's Bomb Squad.

We're told the cannonball was made of brass, and contained gun powder.

It was about three-and-one-fourth inches wide, and weighed about five pounds.

The cannonball was detonated in the city's quarry.

Chief Michalek says anyone that should come upon a cannonball or something like it should leave it alone -- and immediately contact the Fire Department.