The Bremen Commercial Historic District is comprised of approximately five blocks centered on the primary intersection in Bremen’s historic commercial district.  The district lines Plymouth Street (Highways 106/331) and Center Street.  The district’s architecture reflects a town that experienced railroad era growth from about the 1880s into the 1940s.  The architectural styles of the district are largely composed of Italianate, Queen Anne, and Classical Revival examples.  The buildings are mostly two stories tall and are of brick.  The high majority of buildings are commercial in nature; however, some office and municipal buildings are also located in the district and were constructed from 1875 to c. 1970.

Bremen is located in German Township, named to reflect the large number of German speaking settlers in the area.  The first settlement in what would become Bremen was in 1836, after which several families settled in the area.  A post office was established in 1846 and named “Brothersville” after its first postmaster, David Brothers.  The first store was created by George Pomeroy in which a variety of goods were sold.  The first blacksmith shop was created in a log cabin in 1848 and operated by Joseph Geiselman.  Geiselman later erected the first frame building in the town in 1850. In 1851, George Beiler (Beyler) created the original plat of the community and named it “New Bremen” after the city in Germany, however, “New” quickly became omitted.  The town had six families living in it when it was platted.  In 1853, there were four log cabins and two frame buildings, a store, saloon and post office, a blacksmith shop, a cooper shop, tailor, and a harness maker.  The first school was established in 1853 and the first church constructed was the German Lutheran Church in 1855.

The community continued to grow and remained as the only town in German Township.  The town was incorporated in 1871 and twelve additions followed the original plat by 1880.  The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad continued its westward push through the states of Ohio and Indiana to reach Chicago and on to St. Louis by surveying through the town in 1873, at which time business interests took a boom.  The railroad was completed through Bremen to Chicago in 1874.  This allowed the town to develop industries that could send products to outside markets on the east coast and Chicago.  Eight manufacturing operations were located in the town by 1880; these included furniture, wagon, stave, barrel, and machine manufacturing.  Six industries that involved lumber, and a flour and woolen mill were also operating in the town by 1880.  J. R. Dietrich constructed the first brick business block in 1875; it was a large triple storefront building on the southeast corner of Center and Plymouth Streets.  Late developments in the district include the Bremen Hotel, the State Bank, and town hall (now police department) during the first decades of the 20th century.  These later buildings were constructed in the Classical and Colonial Revival styles.