The Engel Conservation Area site was originally inhabited by the Potawatomi Native Americans.  In 1859 the land was settled and farmed by Tobias Oakler, a German immigrant.  In 1864 William Techtmann, a German immigrant shoemaker, purchased 20 acres of unimproved land with his wife Fredericka (daughter of Tobias Oakler).  The Techtmanns purchased surrounding acreage and built a house and barn.

In 1903 the farm was sold to Fred & Mary (Techtmann) Lee.  The couple added more acres to the farm resulting in 124 acres as shown in the 1914 plat map.  Most of the farm acreage was purchased in 1930 by neighbor George Schoppe.  In 1938 the farm was passed on to Frank & Mary Schoppe, who owned it for 7 years.

Ewald & Eleanore Engel purchased the property in 1945 and built a new house.  The Engels farmed the land and propogated galdiolus for the florist industry.  They were the last private owners of the land until 2003 when it was purchased by the City of Muskego for the purpose of establishing a conservation area.