For a river adventure with a bit of history, fiction and mystery, take a weekend
and hit two Missouri landmarks, Hermann and Hannibal. Start with the farthest
point and head for Hermann, then catch Hannibal on the way back. The trip will
take less than three hours and if you head for Pittsfield and over the drive is
scenic.
In Hermann you will find a great little getaway area that will take you and your
family back in time. If you have German roots, this is a place to experience
what German culture was and is. Hermann takes its name from a German folk hero
called Hermann the Cherusker. Renowned for defeating three Roman legions in the
Battle of Teutoburger in 9 A.D., he is credited in part with removing Roman
rule from the Germanic region and is a symbol of freedom to the German people.
Freedom was the reason the settlement of Hermann was developed in the first
place. The German Settlement Society of Philadelphia, upset by the loss of
their native customs and language in America, decided to create a
self-supporting German community they referred to as the “Second Fatherland.”
To ensure success, the society recruited craftsmen of every needed variety,
including beer and wine makers who had migrated to the U.S. The immigrants
bought shares for the new settlement that would get them 40-acre farms or a
town lot. Cheryl Hoffman, site interpreter at the Deutscheim Historic Site,
said they had two years to get set up or they lost their investment and had to
walk away empty-handed. The site was selected by George Bayer, a schoolmaster
and musician the group appointed. The area where Hermann is now is surrounded
by bluffs, and the hills were filled with wild grapevines. They reminded Bayer
of the area near the Rhine River in Germany. These wild grapevines, called “Norton,” would later play a huge economic part in Hermann and the surrounding
countryside.
Held up by illness, Bayer arrived in the spring of 1838 after settlers had
arrived in December of 1837. The pioneers were not prepared for the harsh
winters and were quickly disillusioned. In October of 1838, Bayer was relieved
of his duties and died of a broken heart. “They buried him in a grave by himself facing the wrong direction,” Hoffman said.
Today, residents of Hermann say that Bayer was judged too harshly and in 1986
they officially exonerated him of any wrongdoing. The early settlers in 1839
separated themselves from the Society. While the village did not grow to the
large city they originally expected, the village became a booming wine area
until Prohibition. In recent decades the area has revived its wineries. Hermann
how has nine operating wineries and vineyards.
The whole family will enjoythe Deutscheim Historic Site. In German, Deutscheim means “German home,” a fitting name for the only German state historic site in Missouri and one of
the few in the U.S. Besides the Deutscheim site, there is the German School
Museum, which offers a nice variety of Hermann history. Here visitors can learn
about Hermann’s river history and a nice bit of the German culture that is not really touched
on at the Deutschheim site. Call 573-486-2200 for more information about the
Deutschheim State Historic site or call 573-486-2017 for details about the German School Museum.
The Hermann area today has several working wineries. While a winery would not be
usually thought of as a place to take the kids, a stop at the Stone Hill Winery
offers a short tour for those old enough to walk and that have sure footing.
The tour includes the wine cellars — Stone Hill boasts that they have the largest series of underground cellars in
North America.
One other winery that shares a family aspect is the Röbller Vineyard. Located on gentle slopes with a great view, they advise visitors
to, “Pack up the kids and the picnic basket and come visit Röbller Vineyard for a day to remember.” Details about the Hermann area wineries can be found on the Web site,
www.missouriwinecountry.com/ wineries.
If you and the kids like German food, there are a number of dining
opportunities. Two places we tried were Rivertown Restaurant and the Vintage
Restaurant at Stone Hill Winery.
While Hermann is filled with history and old buildings full of character and
German culture, the town of Hannibal is all about Mark Twain. Here fiction and
history mix. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum includes six properties that are on the National Register of Historic Places. The site also
has two interactive museums whose collections include 15 original Norman
Rockwell paintings, Mark Twain’s Oxford gown and many priceless artifacts.
The self-guided tour will take a little over an hour and will cost $9 for an
adult and $4 for a child 6-12, with children under the age of six free. The
site is open every day except on major holidays. During the summer it is open
from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Check out the Web site at www.marktwainmuseum.org for more information.
Besides the boyhood home, your family may also enjoy the Mark Twain Cave or
Cameron Cave. A tour lasts around 55 minutes. The Web site says, “Take a tour of Mark Twain Cave where the walkways are level and smooth and there
are no steps. Because of the natural state of our cave (narrow passages, etc.)
it is not wheelchair accessible. Our cave stays a constant 52 degrees year
round! A light jacket or sweater is recommended on the tours.” During summer, the caves are open from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Write or call for more
information: Mark Twain Cave 300 Cave Hollow Road, Hannibal, Mo., 63401. The
phone number is 573-221-1656.
The best part about visiting a river town is the chance to ride on the river.
The Mark Twain Mississippi Riverboat located at Center Street Landing
(573-221-3222) offers one-hour sightseeing cruises and two-hour evening dinner
cruises.
There are also theater options and a variety of trolley and other tours. Check
out the Hannibal Web site www.visithannibal.com for more information on what is
available in Hannibal.
Travel just a little bit west and Missouri will open up a whole new world of
river lore for a summer family adventure!
Cindy Ladage of Virden is a freelance writer whose work appears often in Illinois Times, Senior News & Times, and Farm World Magazine.
This article appears in May 14-20, 2009.
