HERMANN

A short history of Hermann

The city was founded by the Deutsche Ansiedlungs-Gesellschaft zu Philadelphia (German Settlement Society of Philadelphia) in 1837. It was promoted by Gottfried Duden, who wrote about the area in his Bericht über eine Reise nach den westlichen Staaten Nord Amerikas (Report of a Journey to the Western States of Northern America). In November 1837, an early group of settlers was led by George Bayer, who bought the land on the behalf of the society. George was waylaid in Pittsburgh, though, due to illness and arrived in Hermann in the spring of 1838 leading another group of families. The town was platted after the society sold shares in the 11,300 acres (4,600 ha) of Gasconade River valley land it had purchased.

The society had almost utopian goals of a "heart of German America" where it could perpetuate traditional German culture and establish a self-supporting colony built around farming, commerce, and industry. The town is named after Hermann der Cherusker, a Germanic leader who defeated the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE. In 2009, Hermann celebrated the 2000th anniversary of the battle, in which the Germanic warrior Hermann defeated three Roman legions.

Hermann was the nearest town to the Gasconade Bridge train disaster, November 1, 1855. The Leimer Hotel in Hermann was used as a temporary hospital to treat the wounded.

In the 1960s, people began to rebuild the wine industry in the Hermann area. Today, the vineyards and wineries contribute to the agricultural and heritage tourism economies, with winery tours and wine tastings. Stone Hill Winery, the largest winemaking business in the state, and Hermannhof Winery are in the town; 2 miles (3.2 km) south of town off Missouri Highway 100 West is Adam Puchta Winery, the oldest continuously family-owned winery in the nation, under direct family ownership since 1855. Bias Vineyards is less than 8 miles (13 km) east near Berger on Missouri Highway 100. Also included in the Hermann AVA are Oakglenn Vineyards and Winery, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of Hermann; Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery; and Röbbler Vineyards and Winery near New Haven.

The Katy Trail, a 225-mile (362 km)-long bike path, passes through McKittrick, a town on the northern side of the Missouri River across from Hermann.

The Hermann Historic District, Kotthoff-Weeks Farm Complex, Old Stone Hill Historic District, William Poeschel House, The Rotunda, and Vallet-Danuser House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Concert Hall and Barrel Tavern on East 1st Street and was built in 1878. It is touted as the oldest continuously operating tavern west of the Mississippi. The first floor was originally a saloon and the upper level is a large hall that hosted lectures, dances, concerts, and plays. The Tavern is currently open for lunch and dinner.

Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Hermann, Missouri, revision 1376102038 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.