South Germantown Village Tour
Scene 6 of 8

See Scene 7 of 8 for additional South Germantown village tour information or Scene 5 of 8 to go back one page. To see the Germantown Picture Gallery, go here.

Main Street, West Of Railroad Tracks
(heading West To Western Avenue)

On Main Street West OF Railroad Tracks, View West

Gieger's Insurance, Kinder Hause, ...

A. Deafenthaeler & Company Store & Saloon: (Hardware Store, Post Office, General Store, Diefenthaeler Saloon) west of railroad tracks north side of street (right side of picture). Also pictured in the book GERMANTOWN The Early Years 1838 - 1915, page 69. The saloon addition [east side] to the building was constructed in 1895 and the bank opened for business behind the saloon on 1 February 1910. In time, the bank incorporated the saloon area and in 1910 became known as the Germantown State Bank. It was managed by Emma Duerrwaechter, Wisconsin's first woman bank president. In the 1940s and 1950s, Victor and Marian Schapek operated a grocery store in the west addition constructed in the 1920s. The center, original building, was a hardware store operated by Al Strack with direcdt access to the grocery store. The east addition housed the Germantown State Bank.

Emma and other Duerrwaechters are buried in Last Home Cemetery. The Diefenthaelers can be found in Last Home Cemetery and St. John United Cemetery.

The picture above right is as the building looked in 1999, above center in 2003. Facility originally built in the 1880s by Adam Diefenthaeler and Phillip Duerrwaechter. In a 1942 article in the Milwaukee Journal newspaper, it stated the Duerrwaechter Hardware and Lumber Yard had been offering service for 70 years (1872).

Defenthaler Flour Sifter

In Russell Zimmermann's book, The Heritage Guidebook Landmarks and Historical Sites in Southeastern Wisconsin, printed in 1976, on pages 247-249 are listed the Germantown landmarks (9). On page 249 is identified the Defenthaler & Co. Store and Saloon.

"This large building complex began, in 1885, with what is now the center section on the Main Street front. It was used as a general store and saloon. About 1892 the eastern section was bult and for years was occupied by the Germantown State Bank. The western addition came in 1924. The CCB structure had elliptical-arched windows which have been squared off; there is an unusual tower at the rear with an ogee mansard roof."

Implement and Machinery Store: west of Feed Mill, south side of street across from the bank; Ben Duerrwaechter owner and proprietor. Picture of the building can be seen on page 72 in the book, Germantown, The Early Years 1838-1915. In a 1942 article in the Milwaukee Sentinel nrespaper, it was reported that the establishment was originally started in 1884, and Mr. Ben C. Duerrwaechter, a bank clerk for 26 years, has been identified with the business for 30 years.

Duerrwaechter Homestead

Duerrwaechter Homestead: located on north side, west of commercial building complex; original Phillip and Mary (Diefenthaeler) Duerrwaechter home build around 1880; later owned by Emma Duerrwaechter. A biographical sketch of the Duerrwaechter family can be found here. Pictures of Phillip, Mary and Emma can be seen here.

Snyder/Palus Home

Snyder Home: south side; west of Duerrwaechter Implement; built before 1892; in 1892 Harry and Christina (Diefenthaeler) Snyder; later John Paulus.

Bezold/Kelling Home

Bezold Home: south side; west of Snyder residence; built after 1873; John Bezold; later Melvin Kelling.

John and Christine Diefenthaeler Home

John Diefenthaler Homestead: north side; west of Duerrwaechter. built before 1892; 1930s Christina Diefenthaler, age 71. 1940/50s upstairs Alpha Lentzner and her son Florian. Later Alpha owned the properity. A biographical sketch of the Diefenthaeler family can be found here.

Braum/Hensler, Log Home

Braum Home: south side; west of Bezold residence; built before 1873; this is a log structure. In early times owned by J. Braum, in the 1940s by Wilber and Lorraine (Ruelh) Hensler. Wilber and Lorraine are buried in Last Home Cemetery, Germantown. Later Ollie and Eileen Kreuser.

Ben and Mary Duerrwaechter Home

Ben Duerrwaechter Home: north side; west of Diefenthaeler Homestead 1930 Mary Duerrwaechter. Later Gordon Heilgendorf and his wife. Later wife took ownership.

Ray Hilgendorf Home

Hilgendorf Home: north side; west of Ben Duerrwaechter; 1940s; Ray Hilgendorf, owner and operator of Germantown Feed and Supply.

Jacob and Anna Pfeif Home with son Dillman

Pfeil Home: north side; west of Ben Duerrwaechter; 1930s Jacob and Anna Pfeil and their son Dillman "Pickles".

O'Reilly/Randall Home

O'Reilly Home: north side; west of Pfeil; 1930 Gertrude Joan (Gehl) O'Reilly and daughter Mary Jane. Later Loran Randall.

Eugene and Eileen Gehl Home

Gehl Home: north side; west of O'Reilly; Eugene and Eileen (Rohlinger) Gehl and their children Patricia, Robert, and Richard. Pictures of Eugene and Eileen can be found here.

Gehl/Poole Home

Gehl/Poole Home: north side; west of Eugene Gehl. build about 1900; 1930 John Paul and Theresa (Neubauer) Gehl homestead; later owned by Joseph and Elizabeth Louise (Gehl) Poole. Pictured in the book GERMANTOWN The Early Years 1838 - 1915, page 53. A biographical sketch of the Gehl family can be found here. Pictures of John and Theresa and family can be seen here.

August and Johanna Weirstel Home

Weirstel Home NE corner Western and Main; build after 1873; 1930 August and Johanna Wierstel with Ela and Clarence, later Thumnsteders, later Hakes.

See Scene 7 of 8 for additional South Germantown village tour information or Scene 5 of 7 to go back one page. To see the Germantown Picture Gallery, go here.