Valley View Online

Municipal Bldg.
75 N. Walnut St.
Germantown, Ohio 45327

Germantown Official Web Site

Tax Ordinance PDF – 133k

Council Meetings

First and Third Mondays of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the municipal building located at 75 N. Walnut St. Visitor comments are welcome and are part of the agenda. For more information call 855-6567.

Village Officials

Ted Landis, Mayor
Terry Johnson, President of Council
Jeanne Lee Gentry, Council
Jim Lawson, Council
David Marsh, Council
Scott Johnson, Council
Cindi Wallace, Council

Village Personel

Clerk of Council — 855-7255
Utility Billing Clerk — 855-7260
Planning & Zoning — 855-7270
Finance Department — 855-7257
Tax Department — 855-7258
Police & Fire — Non-Emergency – 855-6567
Police & Fire — Emergency – 911

Tornado Siren Testing

The Village of Germantown tests the tornado siren on the first Monday of each month at 12:00 noon.

Rescue Squad

If you would like information on joining the Germantown Rescue Squad and becoming a good neighbor willing to lend a helping hand to those in need, call 855-6330, 855-6747, or after 6 p.m. 855-2856.

Utilities

Germantown Village Utility hours are Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4:30 pm.

Large Household Appliance Recovery

Large household appliances will be accepted at no charge, twice a year, from Montgomery County residents at the North and South Solid Waste Facilities.

Call the Recycle Hotline at 225.4999 for specific dates.

Accepted appliances include: dehumidifiers, humidifiers, washing machines, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, and air conditioners.

Germantown Senior Citizen’s Center Lunch Program

The Germantown Senior Citizen’s Center Lunch Program begins at 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday & Thursday. Reservations are required. Call by noon on Monday for Tuesday’s meal and by noon on Wednesday for Thursday’s meal.

Must be 60 or older or have a spouse who is 60 or older. Call 855-4191 for reservations.

Germantown History

The Twin Valley (Twin Creek valley) was a “valley of peace” for various Indian tribes hunting here. The Shawnees were settled nearby as late as 1804. The first pioneers arrived in 1798 and stayed about six years before most moved on.

In 1804, German speaking people from Pennsylvania, led by Philip Gunckel, the only settler who spoke English, founded the village of Germantown. The German language continued to be spoken in Germantown unitl the early 1900′s. Gunckel established a grist-mill in the Twin Valley and planned the village. It was incorporated in 1833 and grew to 1200 people by 1840, when growth slowed due to the by-passing of the community by the railroads. Growth resumed after 1885.

An acive historical society, founded in 1973 attest to the many historically significant buildings and homes in the area. Six area buildings, as well as the entire downtown business section, are designated Montgomery County landmarks: the IOOF Lodge building, the K of P Lodge building, the Roher Mansion, the old Shuey Mill, and both the Mudlick Homestead and the old Mudlick School. In May 1976, The downtown core, known as the “Gunckel Town Plat”, was recognized by the National Park Service as a National Historic Site and Historical Preservation District. Also attaining national recognition were the Shuey Mill, the Poast House and the Rohrer House.

Pretzel Festival

The Pretzel Festival will be held the fourth weekend in September at Veterans Memorial Park in Germantown. The festival has been held each year since 1980 and features handcrafts, food, free entertainment, live music and shows. Park is handicapped acessible with sidewalks. For more information contact:

Germantown Pretzel Festival
P.O. Box 42
Germantown, Ohio 45327
937-859-8331
More Information

Covered Bridge

The inverted bowstring covered suspension bridge was built in 1870 and spanned Little Twin Creek on Dayton Pike in Germantown for 41 years. In 1911, it was moved to its present location – spanning Little Twin Creek on East Center Street. This historic community landmark was restored in 1963 and is reputed to be the only one of its kind in the world. Since its official rededication on October 17, 1964, the bridge has been designated:

• one of the 19 “outstanding” landmarks in Montgomery County (Montgomery County Landmarks Committee, 1968)
• one of the 200 “exceptional” landmarks in Ohio (Ohio Historical Society, 1967)
• a National Registered Place by the National Park Service (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1971)

In 1981, the bridge totally collapsed when hit by a car. It was again restored through volunteer labor and cash donations by the people of Germantown and rededicated on June 6, 1982. The bridge is open to pedestrian traffic only.

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