Hermann Museums |
The Deutschheim State
Historic Site
The Deutschheim
State Historic Site on West Second St in Hermann captures the
culture and heritage of the German people who migrated to
Missouri in the mid to late 19th century. Their home interiors,
tools, implements, garden plantings and architecture quickly
became a reflection of Missouri's diverse culture.
The Deutschheim is operated by the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources and tours are offered daily at 9:30am, 10am,
12:30pm and 2:30pm.
Two main buildings are featured at the site. The Pommer-Gentner
House built in 1840, is a sterling example of high-style German
neoclassicism and is furnished to reflect the earlier settlement
period of the 1830's and 1840's. Behind the house, visitors will
tour a period garden and a small half-timbered barn containing
an exhibit of 19th century tools.
The Strehly House, built in stages from 1842 to 1869, has a
traditional German vernacular front. It once contained a
full-service printing company that produced a German-language
newspaper.
In about 1857, Carl Strehly built a winery next to the house,
which today displays one of a few remaining carved wine casks in
the Midwest. Grapevines, planted by the Strehlys in the 1850's
can still be seen running the length of the backyard.
Deutschheims's varied collections of German Americana are
represented by galleries of changing artifacts and photographs.
Tour Deutschheims's buildings and experience the daily life of
German Americana the way it really happened 150 years ago.
For more information, contact Deutschheim State Historic Site,
107-109 West 2nd St., Hermann, MO 65041, or call 573.486.2200.
Deutschheim (meaning German home) is the German cultural museum
of the state of Missouri operated by the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources. In 1978, the Hermann Brush and Palette Club,
a local preservation group, donated several buildings to
establish the site. In addition to the Pommer-Gentner house and
the Carl Strehly house, the site currently includes a
half-timbered barn with a display of 19th-century garden tools,
period gardens, and several recently acquired buildings that
house the office, library, and gift shop.
The Carl Strehly
house is open to tour. It depicts the life of a middle-class
family of moderate means from 1865-1880. The main part of the
building was constructed in 1842, and for the next 27 years it
was modified and enlarged. It housed a printing business that
provided the community with two German-language newspapers. In
the late 1850s, a winery was added.
The
Pommer-Gentner house was built in 1840 and is one of the oldest
surviving buildings in Hermann. It is currently closed for
restoration, but when it reopens it will feature furnishings
that reflect the life of an aristocratic family of the 1830s and
1840s. The family was among the founding fathers of Hermann.
Cheryl Hoffman, Interpretive Resources Technician for the site,
says there is some very interesting investigation work going on
at the house. When possible, she allows visitors to view the
historical renovation project.
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Historic Hermann's
Museum at the old German School
Historic Hermann's Museum at
the old German School
Historic Hermann, Inc. is a
local organization devoted to preserving Hermann's heritage
for future generations. One of its main projects is to
maintain the museum in the old German School building at
Fourth and Schiller streets.
The German School was built
in 1871 and was used as an elementary school until 1955. That
year, when classes were moved to the old high school on
Washington St., the German School Board deeded the building to
Historic Hermann to establish a museum. For 50 years, the
community has donated items of interest that portray life in
Hermann since its founding in 1836.
The museum's second floor
includes the Heritage Room, the Kinder Room and the River
Room. On the main floor are the Schweighauser Room, the
Legacy Room,the Els Room and a charming gift shop.
A special feature at the
museum is the Clock Tower. It was added to the building in
1890 and is a Hermann landmark. To keep it ticking, the clock
must be wound twice a week by a devoted group of winders. The
clock's working mechanisms can be viewed on the second floor
at the museum.
Tours of the Museum are
self-guided, but volunteers are on hand to answer questions.
The Museum is open April through
October. Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday - Tuesday,
Noon to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Closed Wednesday. The museum is
closed from November through March, but is open when festivals
are scheduled during those months. There is a nominal fee
charged to tour the museum. Groups are welcome to schedule
special tours by calling
573-486-2389
ask for Carol.
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The Gasconade County Historical Society
Archives & Record Center
315 Schiller St, Hermann, MO 65041
Directly across the
street from the German School, at 315 Schiller St., stands the
former Farmers & Merchants Bank built in 1909. It is the current
home of the GCHS Archives and Records Center. For those
interested in researching family histories and genealogies in
Gasconade County, this is a one-stop research facility.
A volunteer
staff is available to assist the public in using the records
Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 to 5:00 and on Saturday from
9:00 to noon. For information, or to make arrangements for
groups, call 573-486-4028 or send an e-mail to
gchsarc@ktis.net.
You can read about Missouri history, the War of the Rebellion,
Gasconade County history, Gasconade County families, and
Missouri & Gasconade river history. The Center houses a wide
variety of materials for genealogical research. Real estate
records, census records, and much more are accessible for study.
The Gasconade Historical Society, in a cooperative arrangement
with the Gasconade County Commission, has assumed responsibility
for housing and preserving the permanent records of the people
of Gasconade County and, over a period of three to five years,
will transfer all of those records from the Courthouse to the
Archives and Records Center.
An archives shop features books on local and family history, a
publication on genealogical research by a local authority on the
subject, and postcards of Hermann area scenes and historic
structures.
The countywide facility opened in August of 2001 to preserve and
make accessible a comprehensive collection of information for
researchers. Records of Gasconade County date from 1812. The
collection features probate, circuit court, real estate and
county commission records. Also available are marriage, death,
birth, and census records. Copies of the local newspaper are on
microfilm. |
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Hermann Fire Company
Museum
A little known museum is located at Hermann Fire Company's
station #2 on 214 East Second St, located in the Historic
District. While the firehouse is not always open, anyone who
wishes to tour the museum may contact Chief Schulte by calling
573-486-2461. Much of the museum can be viewed through the large
windows at the fire station. But, the fire chief says that if
one of the volunteer firefighters is at the station, he will
gladly let visitors tour the museum.
The museum was established in 1971 when station #2 was
dedicated. The volunteers salvaged and restored old fire
equipment that had been stored in sheds throughout Hermann. Much
of it was in poor condition having barely survived several
floods.
But their work paid off because several pieces, which were among
the oldest in the state, have won trophies and ribbons that are
on display at the museum. Fine examples of equipment include the
hand pumpers Consiquence and Washington. The first motorized
vehicle, a 1932 Chevrolet quad truck, is on display and includes
ladders, hose, pump, and water tank. Samples of old uniforms
also are displayed, along with trumpets and drums. The drums
date to 1865 and are still in usable condition.
In addition to the equipment, which is in mint condition, the
department has maintained a set of records of all their meetings
since the Fire Company was formed in 1859. Records were kept in
German until 1939. Since 1939, they have been written in
English. All of the minutes from Day One until 1939 were
translated from German to English by Elmer Danuser, a retired
Hermann school teacher.
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Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows,
Starkenberg, MO
In the year 1847
the first people came to the area known as Rhineland or Loutre
Island, along the Missouri River. The area was soon to be named
"Starkenburg." The settlers were Germans from the Hermann,
Missouri area. They would have special services when
missionaries came. In this barn was a statue, which the Germans
named "Weisse dame" or "White Lady."
St. Martin's Parish was chartered in 1848. The Parish was named
after St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, France. One year after being
charted, forty acres were obtained and a log church was built.
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This site was last modified
or updated on
Friday, June 21, 2013 at
03:28:41 PM
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unless otherwise specified. |
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