Posted June 23, 200618 yr My favorite town in Montgomery County (Miamisburg is close, too). The Germans here came from Pennsylvania, not Germany. Founded in 1814 it was somwhat late after places like Centerville and Miamisburg. Set in the Twin Creek Valley: Lutheran church tower in the valley....marks the townsite The old VFD is now home to the local newspaper (which also serves nearby Farmersville) The downtown is sort on two or three streets. This is one of them. Big bldg on the left is the Masons Lodge on the second floor Small town movie theatre, still in operation: Neogothic Odd Fellows Hall The trees obscure these old rowhouses, which are quite nice. Log house with new chimney Built the year Illinois became a state, 1818, and only 4 years after the founding of the village, the Florentine Hotel is perhaps one of the oldest commercial buildings standing in Montgomery County. There used to be a bar and restaurant in it, where bluegrass bands played in the 1980s. I think its closed now. Sidestreets and vignettes of Germantown...plenty of houses with porches. Very well landscaped yards here...the church in the backround used to the United Brethren. This was the church the Wright Brothers' father joined after a split in the UB congregation in Dayton. Orville and Wilbur left too, but didn't join this church, nor any other. "Pleasantville" Some scenes from the outskirts... The old mill. A bike path starts here and will eventually connect to the Germantown Reserve and Twin Creeks metropark The old mansion on the west end of town. This was built by a distiller The covered bridge, wich is really in town, but on the east edge. It was built of steel and made in Dayton. This towns big industry in the 19th century was tobacco. They grew on the farms around town, and rolled it into cigars in town. This was also an industry in Dayton back then. Another interesting feature is that the orginal plat had these diagonal alleys meeting in mid-block squares. Some of these are still in use, though probably not worth taking pictures of. It is sort of tough to do this place justice. Best to just visit it. Germantown has avoided too much sprawl and is still set in open country, but last time I've been there I'm seeing more things going up outside of town, on the Dayton side, including a new strip center.
June 23, 200618 yr Nice job. I really like Germantown as well, but the sprawl is quickly approaching :(
June 24, 200618 yr I am moving to Germantown, effective immediately. wonderful. Florentine Hotel - fantastic
June 24, 200618 yr Tell me more about this pretzel festival. Its nothing special, just a small town festival with church booths and big pretzels like you'd get at an Octoberfest. Sort of German inspired.
June 24, 200618 yr I'm ready for the pretzel festival. I forgot that they have a pretzel festival...I've never been, but should check it out one of these years. I just thought that it was really funny that they decided to invite President Bush to attend the festival after he choked on a pretzel. Apparently he declined the invitation. :lol:
June 24, 200618 yr Nice job. I really like Germantown as well, but the sprawl is quickly approaching :( Too late :). "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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