Hermann

Click to enlarge	The German Settlement Society of Philadelphia wanted to build a great new city in the American frontier that would be German in every way.
Click to enlarge	Seventeen settlers stepped off the last steamboat of the season on December 6, 1837. Advance scouts had chosen this site because of its resemblance to the Rhine Valley. The hillsides were far too steep for farming so vineyards were planted.
Click to enlarge	On a hill just inside the town rests the Gasconade County courthouse with its silver dome. A bridge crossing the Missouri River allows access to the town. Crossing this bridge is an experience in itself.
	Prohibition and anti-German feelings during World War I sent Hermann into the Great Depression well before the rest of the country. However, the town weathered the storm and managed to retain much of its 19th century flavor, which is now a key attraction. Don't forget to stop at the German School Museum. (Photo at left) The building served as a school for more than 75 years. Some rooms in the building include the River Room, which chronicles life in a river town and the Kinder Room, filled with furniture and other artifacts from the late 1800s.
	You can step back in time and learn more about this culture in the exhibits and galleries at the Deutschheim State Historic Site. The site includes the Pommer-Gentner House and the Strehly House. Both houses preserve an aspect of life in the 19th century. You can click on these two pictures to get a larger view.
Click to enlarge	Before Prohibition, Hermann produced more than one million gallons of wine a year, and was home to the world's third largest winery. Today Hermann is home to a handful of wineries that once again are winning awards for their products. Be sure and pay a visit to one or more of them. Most offer tours of the facilities, have great shops with tasty cheese and sausages and host fun events.
Click to enlarge	Hermann has several festivals each year. One of the largest is the Octoberfest which is held the first four weekends in October. There is also the Wurstfest which is a two day celebration of sausage making and German tradition.
Click to enlarge	Christmas celebrations in Hermann are like no other. German traditions permeate events like Weihnachtstrassrasse, the street light display at the city park. Drive or walk through the free display throughout the season. The Christmas market, or Kristkindl Markt, is a shopper's paradise. Tour Hermann's beautiful historic homes during the Candelight House Tours.