Garland, formerly known as Germantown, is a village in Seward County, Nebraska, United States.

However, the residents of the southern portion of the county voted overwhelmingly against the bond issue in an 1871 election: they were displeased at having been bypassed by an earlier railroad line, anticipated no benefits from the new line, and were angry with Seward, which had won the county seat away from the southern town of Milford.

The failure of the bond issue forced the railroad to seek support from the northern portions of the county; so rather than following the desirable route up the valley of Middle Creek, the company agreed to build the line through Malcolm and then up into the hills of northeastern Seward County.

[5][6] A depot was established on a level place along the line, and the town of Germantown, named for the ethnicity of the local settlers, was platted in 1874 by Hiland Fraisure.

[4][7][8] With the entry of the United States into World War I, anti-German sentiment was rampant.

[9] In this environment, the Germantown city council decided that the name had to be changed; and they resolved to rename the town after the first local soldier to die during the war.

Although several residents later fell by enemy action, the resolution had failed to specify the manner of death; so the honor went to Raymond Garland, who died of pneumonia before he ever reached France.

[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2), all land.