Muskego’s post office opened in 1883, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 38% of U.S. towns · #253 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Most of Muskego was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. Its Register listings are the Carl and Therese Schauwitzer House and the Muskego State Graded School. Below: maps from 1891 on and the census since 1960.
The Muskego post office opened in 1883, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1964. Five smaller post offices, Muskego Centre (1848), Durham Hill (1863) and Tess Corners (1867), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 8,858 in 19602020 census: 25,032143 years
How historic is Muskego?
C+
More historic than 38% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Muskego post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1964.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Muskego’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Muskego is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #253 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Muskego’s overall grade.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Muskego’s 1.6 sits near the middle of its state (59% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.3 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1964.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Muskego’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The history of Muskego started originally as the home of the Potawatomi, who named it "Mus-kee-Guaac", which means "sunfish". The first European came in 1827 and a few years later (1833), the Potawatomi tribe ceded their lands in Wisconsin to the United States government. The first permanent settlers, coming from New Hampshire, were the Luther Parker family.
Once an agricultural area, Muskego was incorporated as a city in 1964. When it became a city it included the unincorporated communities of Durham Hill and Tess Corners. With an increase in housing developments in the city, it has become a bedroom community for Milwaukee.
The Muskego post office opened in 1883, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1964.
How does Muskego rank for history?
Muskego is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #253 of 362 in Wisconsin. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Muskego?
Two places: the Carl and Therese Schauwitzer House (listed 2013) and the Muskego State Graded School (2019).
How old are the homes in Muskego?
4% of Muskego’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1988.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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