Germantown Colony and Museum, Historical religious settlement and National Register site in Minden, Louisiana

Germantown Colony and Museum is a historical settlement with preserved log buildings in Minden, Louisiana. The site features two cabins with hand-cut corners, a stone cellar, and other structures that show how people lived and worked in this early community.

Germantown was the earliest religious communal settlement in Louisiana, founded in 1836 by German adherents of Maximilian Ludwig, the "Count of Leon". His widow Elisa Leon led the founding and the commune lasted until 1871, with all property held in common. Its pacifism and general privation brought hardship during the American Civil War, which contributed to its end.

The colony's name comes from its German settlers, and worship was required of all members, who held property in common. The kitchen-dining hall, with its dry-stone cellar, shows where the roughly thirty-five residents took meals together. The site is now operated as a museum.

The museum sits in a rural area and is accessible by car. Plan to spend a couple of hours exploring the buildings and grounds, and it helps to check opening days ahead of time to make the most of your visit.

Germantown was the earliest religious communal settlement in Louisiana, founded in 1836 by followers of Maximilian Ludwig, the "Count of Leon", and led by his widow Elisa Leon until the commune ended in 1871. About thirty-five people held all property in common.