Hermann, Missouri

Hermann is a city designated in 1842 as the county seat of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States. It is near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River. The population was 2,431 at the 2010 census.

This was an area of vineyards and wineries established by German immigrants during the mid-19th century. After Prohibition shut down the industry, it was not until the 1960s that it began to be revived. Officially designated in 1983, the Hermann AVA (American Viticultural Area) was one of the earliest recognized by the federal government. The seven wineries in the AVA produce one-third of the state's annual total of wine.

Hermann holds a Maifest during the third weekend in May and an Oktoberfest the first four weekends in October. In addition to its wine industry, Hermann is called the sausage-making capital of Missouri.^[6]

History

Boat landing, showing boat unloading at elevator and freight house, circa 1920

A bottle of Norton wine sits next to what is believed to be a 170 year old Norton/Cynthiana grapevine cultivated by American wine legend George Hussman. The vines are now part of OakGlenn Winery's vineyard located in Hermann MO and they still produce grapes to this day. George Hussman was the original owner of the property.

The city was founded by the Deutsche Ansiedlungs-Gesellschaft zu Pennsylvania (German Settlement Society of Philadelphia) in the 1830s. It was promoted by the enthusiasm of 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). An early part of settlers was led by George Bayer and Edward Hermann, who bought the land and is considered by many to be the founder of the town. 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 Hermannhof Winery

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 the year 9. In 2009, the City of Hermann celebrated the 2000th anniversary of the battle, in which the Germanic warrior Hermann defeated three Roman legions and changed the course of history. A bronze statue of the city's namesake was dedicated, and has been standing since September 2009 in the Hermann Park.^[7]

In the 1960s people began to rebuild the wine industry in the Hermann area. The vineyards and wineries contribute both to the agricultural and heritage tourism economies, with wine tastings and visits related to the wineries increasingly popular.

The Hermann area is known for wineries: Stone Hill Winery, the largest winemaking business in the state, and Hermannhof Winery are in the town. Two miles 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.^[8] Bias Vineyards is less than eight miles (13 km) east near Berger on Missouri Highway 100. Also included in the Hermann AVA are Oakglenn Vineyards and Winery, 2½ miles 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.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 2,431 people, 1,047 households, and 614 families residing in the city. The population density was 960.9 inhabitants per square mile (371.0 /km²). There were 1,291 housing units at an average density of 510.3 per square mile (197.0 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.0% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 1,047 households of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.4% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 44.9 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.4% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 2,674 people, 1,149 households, and 698 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,161.5 people per square mile (448.9/km²). There were 1,285 housing units at an average density of 558.2 per square mile (215.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.80% White, 0.22% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.

There were 1,149 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $44,621. Males had a median income of $27,426 versus $20,372 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,428. About 5.0% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Hermann (Amtrak station)
Hermann (Hermann Trolley LLC)

Notable natives and residents

Brock Olivo, former Missouri Tigers and Detroit Lions football player. 2008 Republican candidate for Missouri 9th congressional district.
Ken Boyer, former St. Louis Cardinals third baseman and manager.
Richard Honeck, arsonist and murderer, was paroled after serving 64 years of his life sentence. He had served the longest jail term that terminated in the prisoner's release.
William (Bill) Wenzel, former President and CEO of the Wenzel Company, alongside of his brothers, now part of the Kellwood Company.
Charles D. Eitzen,^[9] former Mayor of Hermann and member of the town board.

References

↑ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ 4.0 4.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ Official Wurstfest page
↑ "Partnerstadt Hermann grüßt Bad Arolsen mit Arminius aus Bronze". Waldeckische Landeszeitung Frankenberger Zeitung. December 22, 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
↑ Adam Puchta Winery, accessed 20 Jun 2008
↑ Journal, Missouri Constitutional Convention of 1875, vol. 1, published by State Historical Society of Missouri, 1920

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Hermann.

v t e Municipalities and communities of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States

County seat: Hermann

Cities	Bland‡ Gasconade Hermann Morrison Owensville Rosebud

Townships	Boeuf Boulware Bourbois Brush Creek Canaan Clay Richland Roark Third Creek

Unincorporated community	Mount Sterling

Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

County seats in Missouri

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