Brookfield and Elm Grove

The old town of Brookfield provides an ethnic microcosm of what makes Wisconsin's settlement story so unique. As Native Americans, primarily the Potawatomi tribe, were forced out of the region, in came large numbers of Protestant farmers from New York State. A step and a half behind the New Yorkers came distinct colonies of families from western Europe--Catholics from near Nuremberg, Bavaria; Evangelical Lutherans from Canton Bern, Switzerland; Methodists from Lincolnshire, England; Zion Evangelicals from Sulzback, Wurttemberg; as well as Catholics from County Sligo, Ireland."

Title: Local history comes to life in new book
Author: Alan Hamari
Publisher: Brookfield Now
Date: 7/7/09

After spending two decades on his previous history of the Brookfield and Elm Grove townships, Thomas Ramstack's most recent project went a little more quickly.

Arcadian Publishing last month released "Brookfield and Elm Grove," the latest in its "Images of America" series, which uses photographs, text and historical documents to tell the stories of communities across the country.

Ramstack last year completed "Brookfield: A Fine and Fertile Land," a two-part history of the area he originally started working on in the 1980s. Ramstack said he completed his more recent project in about seven months, using photos from local residents, the Elmbrook and Waukesha County historical societies and his personal collection.

Ramstack, who was born in Elm Grove but mostly grew up in New Berlin, said he got his love of history from his father, who used to share stories of growing up in Waukesha County during Prohibition and the Great Depression.

"He described (the people) in such a way that they became real to me," Ramstack said.

Many people who knew Ramstack's father were willing to help by donating photos and supplementing information. More than once, Ramstack said, people offered him the pictures off their walls to use in the book.

Ramstack said he wanted to tell the stories of the settlers of Brookfield and Elm Grove - people from Ireland, Scotland, New York and other places - and how they established a farming community in the area, even though Brookfield now bears little resemblance to the prime agricultural area it once was.

"It's really hard for people to imagine that this was farm country," he said.

He said the book was a pleasure to work on.

"This is just something I love to do," he said. "I just love local history."

Title: Local history comes to life in new book
Author: Alan Hamari
Publisher: Brookfield Now
Date: 7/7/09

After spending two decades on his previous history of the Brookfield and Elm Grove townships, Thomas Ramstack's most recent project went a little more quickly.

Arcadian Publishing last month released "Brookfield and Elm Grove," the latest in its "Images of America" series, which uses photographs, text and historical documents to tell the stories of communities across the country.

Ramstack last year completed "Brookfield: A Fine and Fertile Land," a two-part history of the area he originally started working on in the 1980s. Ramstack said he completed his more recent project in about seven months, using photos from local residents, the Elmbrook and Waukesha County historical societies and his personal collection.

Ramstack, who was born in Elm Grove but mostly grew up in New Berlin, said he got his love of history from his father, who used to share stories of growing up in Waukesha County during Prohibition and the Great Depression.

"He described (the people) in such a way that they became real to me," Ramstack said.

Many people who knew Ramstack's father were willing to help by donating photos and supplementing information. More than once, Ramstack said, people offered him the pictures off their walls to use in the book.

Ramstack said he wanted to tell the stories of the settlers of Brookfield and Elm Grove - people from Ireland, Scotland, New York and other places - and how they established a farming community in the area, even though Brookfield now bears little resemblance to the prime agricultural area it once was.

"It's really hard for people to imagine that this was farm country," he said.

He said the book was a pleasure to work on.

"This is just something I love to do," he said. "I just love local history."

Title: History of Brookfield and Elm Grove featured in new book
Author: Janet Wintersberger
Publisher: Brookfield Now
Date: 7/6/09

Local author Tom Ramstack's new book "Brookfield & Elm Grove" is available now. It holds a great variety of images and photographs of people and places in our community.

The images in the book depict what life was like 100 years ago when the 36 square mile Brookfield township had an important agricultural emphasis. You will learn about the close relationships settlers formed with others and their strong sense of community. Along with everyday life, and special occasions, readers will find visual accounts of tornadoes, fires and train wrecks.

Ramstack's interest in history rose from stories his father shared with him when he was young. He learned about the once-rural communities of Brookfield and Elm Grove. His newest book, "Brookfield and Elm Grove" is available at local retail outlets, major book stores and the Wisconsin Historical Society.