Historic Hermann Museum

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Hermann, MO
Historic Hermann Museum

Located in the 1871 German School Building, the Historic Hermann Museum is home to an extraordinary collection of treasures from Hermann’s past.

05/28/2026

Historic Hermann Museum is thrilled to announce a new exhibit of Clem Wilding wood carvings, on display in our Schweighauser Room.

Born in 1909, Clem was inspired by his father, a versatile craftsman who encouraged his children to pursue creativity. Clem began making ship & airplane models and painting scenes from his childhood, which eventually lead to a passion for carving birds and animals. Clem once painted an Ozark woodland scene for a shadow box, and added mounted, carved birds at the suggestion of his wife, Dot, sparking a successful venture. Later, he would place an ad in the National Audobon Society magazine and gain international recognition.

Clem and Dot displayed their carvings and demonstrated throughout the years at Stone Hill Winery during Maifest and Oktoberfest. Clem also taught would-be carvers the art of wood carving.

Visit us at the Museum and enjoy this exciting new exhibit!

05/12/2026

On today's , we take a look into the early year's of the Maifest Tradition. This Saturday, Hermann will celebrate it's 74th Annual Maifest.

This photo below shows the streets of Hermann packed with visitors, horses, and more during the Maifest parade in 1954, in what would have been the third Maifest ever. Cars line both sides of the street, and you can see some local Hermann businesses like the Missouri Power & Light Company in the foreground.

05/08/2026

Historic Hermann Museum has gift certificates that can be purchased at the museum, good for gift shop purchases and museum tours.

It's an excellent gift idea for a mother who has everything else!

05/06/2026

Time marches on - but some things never change! Our little community is still excitedly planning for next week-end.

We look forward to seeing everyone on May 16 as part of Maifest!

05/01/2026

We have a new acquisition in the Heritage Room
on the second floor: a corn-broom making
machine and finishing clamp. Vincent and Jovita
Klott recently donated the machine to the
museum.

Henry Klott, Vincent Klott’s grandfather, was a
farmer, barn-builder, and craftsman who lived on
Old Iron Road in rural Hermann. He constructed
this broom-making machine in 1911 from metal
parts that he purchased from the St. Louis Broom
Supply Company. He studied the company’s
specifications, built the wood frame from lumber
that came from his property and then assembled
the machine.

04/19/2026

On today's Who's Who in Hermann History, we showcase Dorothy Heckmann Shrader, author of the Steamboat trilogy. The books, detailing life revolving around steamboating and river trade in and around Hermann, tell stories of previous generations of Heckmanns & her own life growing up as a "Steamboat Kid".

Dorothy was born on December 3, 1913, in Hermann at a house on West Third Street. For much of her childhood, she lived with her grandparents while her parents were busy on different steamboats. She began speaking German, like her grandparents, but learned English as well. Her grandfather was a blacksmith, but took up barrel-making and opened a cooperage on Fourth Street. During the time Dorothy was living with her grandparents, Prohibition ruined the demand for barrels. In her books, Dorothy tells how her grandfather switched over to making "pickle" barrels, "a perfectly legitimate enterprise" as a few Hermann residents began bootlegging.

Dorothy spent time along the Missouri River with her father and mother, Edward & Alice. She spent her summers all along the Missouri River aboard her father's excursion boat, the steamer John Heckmann. The large, extended Heckmann family, through the Herman Ferry and Packet Company, owned and worked on the last privately owned steamboats on the Missouri River. She and her family would move many times, spending time in Iowa, before returning to Hermann in retirement.

Dorothy did extensive research on the Missouri River and steamboating, and in her older age (80 years old!) she published the first book ("Steamboat Legacy") in a trilogy of books she called the Steamboat Trilogy. Her books shed light on an important part of Missouri River and Hermann history, as well as a glimpse into how Hermannites of the early 1900s lived.

04/08/2026

On today's , we go back all the way to the turn of the 20th century, circa 1900-1906. Edward Kemper, owner of Hermann Grape Nurseries, invited all of his workers to an after-work celebration after all the planting for the season was completed. It consisted of a picnic with beer, wine, and ice cream, perfect for the mid-July heat.

Today, a lot of workers in town do the similar things to celebrate after a job well done, but maybe our grandparents looked a tad bit more fashionable doing so!

04/01/2026

Did you know the Historic Hermann Museum used to be a trendy spot for Hermann’s high society, a family homestead, and a kindergarten, all at the same time?

We recently dug up some stunning old photos, and we gotta say, times sure have changed!
Happy April everyone!

03/26/2026

Before you watch some Cardinals baseball this afternoon, come check out some of Hermann’s sporting past!

Just 106 short years ago, Hermann’s Baumstark Builders ran around the bases in these stylish uniforms!

03/23/2026

At Historic Hermann Museum, our Heritage Room has shelves of documents, historical records, newspaper articles, artifacts and more!

Come explore Hermann’s History!

Address

312 Schiller Street
Hermann, MO
65041

Telephone

(573) 486-2017

Website

http://www.historichermann.com/

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