Fredrick Hilgen arrived after 1845[4] and built a gristmill on Cedar Creek.

Over the years, and with business partners, Hilgen also started a sawmill, a planing factory, and a woolen mill.

These are also considered "pivotal" by the NRHP nomination: The Lincoln and Washington buildings were built to be used as public schools.

The Lincoln building, constructed in 1894, was originally intended to serve grades one through twelve, but as a result of the growing population of Cedarburg, a high school was built not far from the Lincoln Building.

Later the first though fifth graders were moved to the Hacker Building, just west and south along the school campus playground.

The grade school complex included a red brick gymnasium facing on Washington Ave.