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A+History
History · Hermann

Hermann dates to 1837, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 97% of U.S. towns. What drives it

6 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 371 buildings between them. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1850.

1837founded
6on the National Register
31%homes built before 1940
4old photos & papers
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Hermann’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Hermann began

When was Hermann founded?

1837

Hermann dates its founding to 1837 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 943 in 18502020 census: 2,185189 years

How historic is Hermann?

A+

More historic than 97% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1838.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Hermann’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hermann is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.

A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hermann’s overall grade.
Founding era1837, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194030.7% of homes (±8.4) · typical MO town 8.4% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register6 listings, 378 historic buildings, 1,651 per 10,000 residents · typical MO town 2.4 · U.S. 2.4A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 97%
NewerOlder

Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Hermann’s 1,651 sits above most of its state (100% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 378 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.4 points). Two sources give 1837.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Hermann’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Hermann Historic District takes in 360 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 4 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Mapped building by building4 fire insurance maps, 1892 to 1917, drew every building in Hermann.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

6 listings protect 378 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
378
each building in a district counts
first listed
1969
Old Stone Hill Historic District
Old Stone Hill Historic DistrictHermann Historic DistrictVallet-Danuser HouseRotunda, TheHermann High School
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Missouri German2
Missouri-German2
Federal1
Missouri-German Vernacular1
Classical Revival1
Greek Revival1
Old Stone Hill Historic DistrictFederal
Hermann Historic DistrictMissouri-German Vernacular
All 6 listings
Vallet-Danuser HouseBuilding · listed 1982William Poeschel HouseBuilding · listed 1990Rotunda, TheBuilding · listed 1995Hermann High SchoolBuilding · listed 2025

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Start Hermann’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hermann’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBird's eye view of the city of Hermann,…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Every building

Hermann, building by building, 1892–1917

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Hermann fire insurance map, 1892, sheet 11892Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story

How Hermann came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hermann.

Read it all →

The city was founded by the Deutsche Ansiedlungs-Gesellschaft zu Philadelphia (German Settlement Society of Philadelphia) in 1837. It was promoted by 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). In November 1837, an early group of settlers was led by George Bayer, who bought the land on the behalf of the society. George was waylaid in Pittsburgh, though, due to illness and arrived in Hermann in the spring of 1838 leading another group of families. 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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hermann, 1837 to 1975

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1837
    FoundingHermann is established
  3. 1838Post officeThe Hermann post office opens
  4. 1869In the archiveBird's eye view of the city of Hermann, Gasconade Co., Missouri 1869
  5. 20th century
  6. 1918In the archiveSteamer August Wohlt. Hermann (?), Missouri
  7. 1920In the archiveBoat landing
  8. 1942On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1975Born hereBart Korman is born here
By decade

Hermann, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s1 item
Bird's eye view of the city of Hermann, Gasconade Co., Missouri 18691869Bird's eye view of the city of Hermann, Gasconade Co.…
1910s–1920s3 items
Steamer August Wohlt. Hermann (?), Missouri1918Steamer August Wohlt. Hermann (?), MissouriSteamer August Wohlt. Hermann (?), Missouri1918Steamer August Wohlt. Hermann (?), MissouriBoat landingc. 1920Boat landing
1930s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today20 recent
Hermann MO Elders c 18902016Hermann MO Elders c 1890Market Street2014Market StreetDeutschheim HSS 20140126-22014Deutschheim HSS 20140126-2Old Hermann Motel2011Old Hermann MotelOld Fish Market2011Old Fish MarketMissouri River at2011Missouri River atListing to Starboard2011Listing to StarboardHermann, MO 65041, USA2011Hermann, MO 65041, USAHermann, MO 65041, USA - panoramio (1)2011Hermann, MO 65041, USA - panoramio (1)Hermann MO Riverfront2011Hermann MO RiverfrontFall 2011 Herman Mo2011Fall 2011 Herman MoBarge Parked at2011Barge Parked atBarge Parked at2011Barge Parked atHermannhof Winery2009Hermannhof WineryHermann, MO 65041, USA - panoramio (3)2009Hermann, MO 65041, USA - panoramio (3)OLD STONE HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT2007OLD STONE HILL HISTORIC DISTRICTHerman-bridge2007Herman-bridgeBirk's Gasthaus2007Birk's GasthausStone Hill Winery and Hermann AVA2006Stone Hill Winery and Hermann AVAMOMap-doton-Hermann2004MOMap-doton-Hermann
On the map

Hermann on the map, 1942 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hermann. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hermann on the 1942 USGS mapHermann on the 1974 USGS mapHermann on the 1985 USGS map1942Hermann sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hermann.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bird's eye view of the city of Hermann, Gasconade Co., Missouri 1869
Retake this viewBird's eye view of the city of Hermann, Gasconade Co., Missouri 1869, 1869

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Hermann’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Hermann, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0001850190019502000Peak: 2,754

Between 943 and 2,754 people in every census since 1850.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hermann’s Wikipedia page.

Questions about Hermann’s history

What year was Hermann founded?

In 1837, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hermann’s post office opened in 1838, and the census of 1850 counted 943 people here.

How does Hermann rank for history?

Hermann is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Hermann?

6 listings: 4 buildings and 2 historic districts, the Old Stone Hill Historic District and the Hermann Historic District, with 371 contributing buildings. 378 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Hermann?

31% of Hermann’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.4 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1956.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (24), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.