The histories of Dartford (present day City of Green Lake) and of the Town of Brooklyn are one and the same in the beginning, since Dartford was a part of Brooklyn for many years, and therefore, a part of its government. Dartford became independent of Brooklyn when the Village of Dartford was incorporated on March 20, 1871. When the Town was organized January 10, 1849, the name was changed to Arcade. In the winter of 1850, the name was again changed to its present day name of Brooklyn.

The first settler was William Dakin, who settled on August 16, 1843. He helped others settle locate here, some of these earliest settlers being Anson Dart, William and John Sherwood. Winnebago Indians were plentiful in the area and often visited with the Darts. Dart built the first sawmill, which only operated 2 years, and later built a dam to develop waterpower for a sawmill.

The dam still exists near the Mill Street Bridge in the City of Green Lake. The land in Brooklyn was all taken up before 1850, most of it by actual settlers, a small part by speculators who held it only for a few years. Most of the settlers came from eastern states.