Germantown, Washington County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Germantown, Wisconsin
|
|
|---|---|
Location of Germantown (town), Wisconsin
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Washington |
| Incorporated | January 21, 1846 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.7 sq mi (4.5 km2) |
| • Land | 1.7 sq mi (4.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 932 ft (284 m) |
| Population
(2000)
|
|
| • Total | 278 |
| • Density | 160.2/sq mi (61.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 262 |
| FIPS code | 55-28900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1583270 |
Germantown is a small town in Washington County, Wisconsin, United States. In 2000, about 278 people lived there. It is completely surrounded by the larger Village of Germantown.
Contents
History of Germantown
Early Inhabitants
The land where Germantown is located was first home to Native American tribes. One of these tribes was the Potawatomi. In 1833, the Potawatomi gave up this land to the United States government. This was part of a deal called the 1833 Treaty of Chicago.
The treaty said the Potawatomi had to leave Wisconsin by 1838. Many moved west of the Mississippi River to Kansas. But some chose to stay. They were called "strolling Potawatomi" because they moved around. They lived on their old lands, which were now owned by white settlers. Eventually, these Native Americans gathered in northern Wisconsin. They formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community.
German Settlers Arrive
Germantown was first known as "Town Nine" in the Wisconsin Territory. This makes it the oldest settlement in Washington County. In the 1840s, many German immigrants came to the area. They were mostly from a region called Hesse. Because so many Germans settled here, the area was named "Germantown."
The government officially created the Town of Germantown on January 21, 1846. The first town meeting happened on April 7 of that same year. The town included several small communities. These were Dheinsville, Goldenthal, Kuhberg (later Victory Center), Meeker Hill, Rockfield, South Germantown, and Willow Creek.
Farming and Quarries
In the 1800s and early 1900s, Germantown's economy was mostly about farming. Dairy farming was very important. The southern part of Germantown has a lot of Silurian limestone. People started digging up this rock in the 1870s. This was especially true in the Rockfield and South Germantown areas.
South Germantown became a stop on the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railway. This started in the late 1800s. The small community grew and did well because of its train connections to other places.
The Village of Germantown
In 1927, South Germantown became its own official village. It was called the Village of Germantown. It was much smaller back then than it is today.
Prisoner of War Camp
From July 1944 to January 1946, the small area of Rockfield had a special camp. It was a prisoner of war camp for Allied forces. About 500 German prisoners of war were held there. These included soldiers from the Afrika Korps and many captured during the Battle of Cherbourg.
The prisoners were first held near Chicago. But they were moved to rural Wisconsin camps like Rockfield. This was so they could help with farm work. The prisoners lived in a building that used to be a warehouse. It belonged to the local Rockfield Canning Company. Many prisoners worked there packing peas. Other prisoners were taken to work sites in nearby counties.
Town Changes Size
In 1963, the city of Milwaukee took a small piece of land from Germantown. They did this to make a landfill bigger. People in Germantown worried that Milwaukee would take more land. To protect themselves, the Village of Germantown took over most of the town's land. This happened in 1963.
At that time, the Village of Germantown grew to about 24 square miles. The village took over more land in 1965 and 1976. This made the town much smaller. Now, the town of Germantown is made up of four separate pieces of land. Together, they are about 1.7 square miles in total.
Geography
The town of Germantown covers about 1.7 square miles (4.5 square kilometers). All of this area is land. There are no lakes or rivers within the town's borders.
Demographics
In 2000, a census (a count of people) was taken in Germantown. There were 278 people living in the town. These people lived in 89 households, and 76 of these were families. The town had about 160 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Germantown (99.28%) were White. A small number (0.72%) were Black or African American. No one in the town was listed as Hispanic or Latino in 2000.
About 47% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (75.3%) were married couples living together. About 11% of households had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household had about 3 people.
The age of people in the town varied. About 30% were under 18 years old. About 11% were 65 years or older. The average age was 37 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 98 males.
The average income for a household in Germantown was $75,000. For families, it was $75,159. About 3.9% of all people in the town lived below the poverty line. This included 4.3% of those under 18.
Education
The Germantown School District serves the town. This district has four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In 2008, about 3,939 students were enrolled. The superintendent of the district is Jeff Holmes.
Elementary Schools
- Amy Belle Elementary
- County Line Elementary
- MacArthur Elementary
- Rockfield Elementary
- Bethlehem Lutheran School
Middle School
- Kennedy Middle School
High School
- Germantown High School
See also
In Spanish: Germantown (condado de Washington, Wisconsin) para niños
