Hermann, MO: An Old-World Getaway in Missouri

Hermann, Missouri was established by German immigrants in 1837 and retains its Old-World Charm. Hermann is well known for its vineyards and wines, which are the themes of some warm weather festivals.

Hermann is a scenic town on hilly terrain, overlooking the Missouri River. Cobblestone streets and brick buildings give the town a quaint, old-fashioned ambiance.

The town is a destination for people who enjoy wineries and a peaceful getaway. There were seven wineries in the vicinity, but we only had time to visit one of them. There are several charming B&Bs in Hermann, offering
accommodations to guests.

According to the history of the town, Hermann was purchased by an agent in behalf of a group of German immigrants who were living in Philadelphia. The German immigrants were concerned about losing their cultural identity and wanted to create a uniquely German town in America.

The Germans were dismayed when they stepped off the riverboat and found that instead of flat farmland, they had purchased 11,000 acres of rocky, hilly terrain in the wilderness.

The land was not good for farming, but the immigrants found that the rocky hillsides were ideal for grapevines. A decade later, visitors from St. Louis traveled to Hermann for the first Weinfest.

The winemakers of Hermann were wildly successful by the turn of the century. Hermann was a rollicking riverfront town until 1919, when World War I brought anti-German sentiment to the country and Prohibition started, bringing an end to the booming wine business.

The town went into an economic downturn and there was no money to modernize buildings. Kept in their original state, more than 150 of the buildings in Hermann are now on the Register of Historic Places.

In recent years, Hermann has experienced a renaissance, and the wineries are thriving once again. The seven wineries of Hermann account for about a third of the wine production in Missouri. Some of the wine festivals in Herman include Maifest, The Very Berry Wine Trail and the Grape Stomp. Hermann Oktoberfest is held in October.

Hermann is a getaway destination that offers Old-World Charm. Hermann is about 80 miles west of St. Louis, Missouri.