Rockfield, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockfield, Wisconsin
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 Rockfield, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Rockfield, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Washington |
| Elevation | 277 m (909 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 262 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1572481 |
Rockfield was a small community, also known as a hamlet. It was located in Washington County, Wisconsin, in the United States. Later, it became part of the Village of Germantown.
Contents
History of Rockfield
How Rockfield Got Its Name
A post office opened in Rockfield in 1876. It served the community for many years. The post office finally closed in 1997. The name "Rockfield" came from a nearby field. This field had many rocks with special marks on them.
Rockfield's Stone Quarries
The land around Rockfield has a lot of Silurian limestone. This is a type of rock formed long ago. Starting in the 1870s, people began to dig for this rock. They built quarries to get the stone. They also used lime kilns. These were special ovens to heat the limestone. This process made lime, which was used in building.
Camp Rockfield: A World War II Story
From July 1944 to January 1946, Rockfield was home to Camp Rockfield. This was a special camp during World War II. It held about 500 German prisoners of war. These were soldiers captured during the war. Many of them were from the Afrika Korps. Others were captured during the Battle of Cherbourg.
The prisoners were first held near Chicago. But they were moved to rural Wisconsin. This was so they could help with farm work. The prisoners lived in a large building. It used to be a warehouse for the Rockfield Canning Company. Many prisoners worked there. They helped pack peas. Other prisoners worked at different places. They went to farms and factories nearby. This included the Pick Manufacturing Company and a fox ranch.
