In town in the mid-1800’s you’d have found a General Store and blacksmith shop as well as the pictured New Germany School #11, which burned down in February 1920 while the teacher and pupils were eating lunch - no reported injuries. Much of the land in 1874 was owned by members of the Harshman Family.
During the early twentieth century, the social lives of those in northern Beavercreek Township revolved around New Germany Hall, famous for their 50/50 dances - 50% round dancing and 50% square dancing. The Hall clothing store was also a popular local shopping destination.
If you continued west northwest through Wright Patterson Air Force Base, you would have found yourself in a town known as Harshmanville, found opposite the National Museum of the United States Air Force (and their AWESOME virtual tours) on Springfield Street. In the late 1800’s the Gerlaugh, Zink, Glaser, Barr, Kraft & Bates families were prevalent.
Our geographic neighbor, Fairborn, has a truly unique story of how it ‘came together’! There’s a short documentary describing how the towns of Fairfield and Osborn became Fairborn.
https://beavercreekliving.com/book/item/14-book-nine?tmpl=component&print=1#sigProId6f4410ccd6
