Hermann is a well-preserved German settlement from the 19th century
German settlers established Hermann in the 1830s for its rugged terrain along the Missouri River. Over the following decades, they built a town reminiscent of their home country, with red brick buildings, acres of grape vines and several German-style breweries. Today, the town’s preserved German roots and population of around 2,500 are a major draw for homebuyers. “There’s no other Missouri town with a history like this,” says Sharlene Henry, the broker-owner of Sharlene Henry Real Estate, who has sold several homes in the area. “It’s also small enough that you know your neighbors, but big enough that there’s a ton of stuff to do.” As the seat of Gasconade County and heart of Missouri’s wine country, Hermann is also a popular tourist spot with historic architecture and lively events, including Oktoberfest and Maifest. “You literally feel like you’re in a different country or on the set of a Hallmark movie when you’re in Hermann,” Henry says.
Century-old homes and newer houses are available
Cottages and Colonial Revivals dating back to the mid-1800s dot Hermann’s hilly streets. Ranch styles from the mid-20th century and New Traditonals built between the 1990s and early 2000s are also common. The median single-family home price is around $295,000, which is lower than the national median. Smaller houses and renovation projects can cost between $94,000 and $180,000, while larger homes with updates typically range from $200,000 to $470,000. Properties near the Missouri River may be in FEMA-designated, high-risk flood zones, where flood insurance is mandatory for homeowners.
Tourists and locals enjoy wine tastings, German food and football game
Around 13,000 tourists visit Hermann annually for its wineries, bars and bed and breakfasts. “It’s a really popular weekend trip spot for bachelorette parties, couples on anniversary trips and people from St. Louis,” Henry says. Rows of grape vines stretch across rolling terrain at Adam Puchta Winery in the southern part of town. Visitors can enjoy tastings of German-style wines in barns dating back to the 1800s and watch musicians perform in the concert pavilion overlooking the 86-acre estate. Whiskey barrels fill Fernweh Distilling Co., a downtown Hermann cocktail bar and contemporary restaurant with Bavarian pretzels and brats on the menu. It’s also one of several places in town that hosts viewing parties for German national football games. “People from St. Louis go to Hermann by the masses to watch those,” Henry says. A Save A Lot grocery store is also downtown, and big-box stores, like Walmart Supercenter and Aldi, are in Warrenton, about 24 miles northeast.
Hermann has parks and historic buildings on the Missouri River
Hermann has several vibrant green spaces, including Owen's Dinosauria Park, where kids can dig for fossils in the sand pit. Riverfront Park is a spot to launch boats and fish for smallmouth bass along the grassy shoreline. A city pool, youth sport facilities and a regional library are also here. The 240-mile-long Katy Trail is accessible about 3 miles north, but walking around Hermann is also popular. “There’s so much to see, between all the beautiful gardens outside of homes and the super old architecture,” Henry says. As locals stroll around town, they may pass the Deutschheim State Historic Site, a 19th-century German estate with houses and a barn surrounding a small vineyard and produce garden. On 1st Street, walkers can see the Romanesque Revival-style St. Paul United Church of Christ and the Greek Revival-style Gasconade County Courthouse, which both sit atop hills overlooking the Missouri River.
Several traditional German festivals are celebrated here
Hermann’s annual festivals are another reason tourists come to town. “There’s some sort of signature event for just about every season,” Henry says. People dance around maypoles and shop at the craft market along Schiller Street for Maifest, a traditional German event celebrating the beginning of spring. Polka music fills the air every weekend during the month-long Oktoberfest, when brewery bartenders wear lederhosen and restaurants add schnitzel and sauerkraut to menus. There’s a Wine & Jazz Festival at the Clara Eitmann Messmer Amphitheater every August, and twinkle lights and pine wreaths decorate the town during Christmastime in Hermann.
Hermann’s public schools earn B-minuses and above
Gasconade County R-I School District serves Hermann. Kids can attend Hermann Elementary, which Niche grades a B-minus, and Hermann Middle, which earns a B. They may continue to B-plus-rated Hermann High, where dual enrollment classes with Drury University include political science, biology and calculus. The unrated St. George School is a Catholic institution for prekindergarten through eighth grade in the north part of town.
There’s easy access to state Route 100 and an Amtrak station
Though Hermann is walkable, it’s also convenient for several types of travel. State Route 100 connects with Interstate 44 to reach St. Louis and the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, about 80 miles east. Hermann Station services Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner, which operates between St. Louis and Jefferson City, about 48 miles west. Hermann Area District Hospital, on the west side of town, has an emergency room and 24 beds.
