Germantown sits in Washington County, northwest of Milwaukee. About 20,917 people lived here at the 2020 census. The village looks like a modern suburb, but its story goes back to the 1830s. German settlers, farmers, quarry workers, and a wartime camp all shaped it. This guide covers the main chapters of that history. Dates vary a little by source, so use this as a starting point.
The First People
The Potawatomi lived on this land before settlers arrived. They gave it up to the United States in the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, which required them to leave Wisconsin by 1838. Some Potawatomi stayed or returned, and many later joined communities in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Today, state resources list Germantown as Potawatomi treaty land.
Town Nine
The area first appeared as Town Nine in Wisconsin Territory, which makes it the oldest settlement in Washington County. The village’s own history page says Germantown got its start as Town 9 in 1836. In the 1840s, many German immigrants arrived from Bavaria, Hessen, the Rhineland, Pomerania, and Prussia. The large number of German families gave the place its name. The territorial legislature created the Town of Germantown on January 21, 1846. Read More about how the community formed.
Dheinsville
The Philip Dhein family established Dheinsville in 1842. It is Germantown’s oldest crossroads settlement. The Wisconsin Historical Society notes that the village keeps original half-timber buildings, called Fachwerk, which reflect the building style of settlers from the Hunsruck region of Germany. Christ Evangelical Church was built in 1862 and became a museum run by the Germantown Historical Society. The Germantown Mutual Insurance Company started in Dheinsville in 1870.
Farms, Quarries, and Rails
For many years, Germantown relied on farming, including dairy farms. The southern part of the area holds Silurian limestone, which workers quarried starting in the 1870s, especially near Rockfield and South Germantown. South Germantown became a stop on the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad, and the hamlet grew because of its rail link.
Seven Hamlets, One Village
The area included several small communities. These were Dheinsville, Goldenthal, Kuhberg, which later became Victory Center, Meeker Hill, Rockfield, South Germantown, and Willow Creek. The village incorporated in the 1920s, though sources list 1924 and 1927. At the time, it was small. The village’s own history page describes it as about one square mile.
Camp Rockfield
From July 1944 to January 1946, the hamlet of Rockfield held a prisoner of war camp. It housed about 500 German prisoners, including soldiers from the Afrika Korps and men captured at the Battle of Cherbourg. They lived in a barracks that had been a warehouse for the Rockfield Canning Company. Many worked as pea packers. Others worked at sites across Ozaukee and Washington counties.
The 1963 Annexation
In 1963, Milwaukee annexed a small piece of land in the southeast part of the town to expand a landfill. Residents feared Milwaukee would take more. As a defense, the village annexed the surrounding hamlets. That move grew the village to about 24 square miles. Today it covers more than 34 square miles. Some areas kept their own identity, which is why a Town of Germantown and a Village of Germantown both exist.
A Population Boom
The numbers tell the story. Census counts listed 622 people in 1960. By 1970, the number jumped to 6,974. It reached 10,729 in 1980 and 18,260 in 2000. In 2020, the count was 20,917. Suburban growth after the 1960s turned a farming area into a bedroom community near Milwaukee.
German Heritage Today
The village still honors its roots. Oktoberfest takes place at Dheinsville Park on the last weekend in September. MaiFest celebrates spring. Restaurants, such as Jerry’s Old Town Inn, offer German and American food. Roughly 40 percent of Wisconsin residents report German ancestry, so Germantown fits right in.
Places to See
- Dheinsville Park and the Historic Dheinsville Settlement
- Christ Church Museum, run by the Germantown Historical Society
- Bast Bell Museum, located at Dheinsville Park
- Firemen’s Park, home to a Fourth of July celebration
- Schoen Laufen Park, a quiet nature area along the Menomonee River
Tips for Visiting
Check museum hours, since small historical sites often keep limited schedules. Visit in late September for Oktoberfest, and arrive early for parking. Wear comfortable shoes for walking the settlement.
Schools and Community
The Germantown School District runs four elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Church schools and a Catholic grade school also serve the area. The community’s long history shows in its clubs, bands, and youth leagues.
Why the History Matters
Germantown shows how a small farming area can grow while keeping its roots. Take a walk through Dheinsville, read the markers, and talk to the volunteers. They can tell stories you will not find on signs.
