Deutschheim State Historic Site is located in Hermann, Missouri, a small town located on the Missouri River. Large numbers of German immigrants settled this area upriver from St. Louis. While the original settlers intended to make this area a large metropolitan area, Hermann today is a small place with narrow streets lined with lovely brick buildings.

On a hill overlooking the main street are two historic homes, the Pommer-Gentner house and the Carl Strehly house, built shortly after the German immigrants settled in Hermann. Visitors to Deutschheim are able to take a guided tour through both of these homes. First, visitors are able to walk through the beautiful garden filled with herbs and vegetables behind the Pommer-Gentner house. Then, visitors can walk through the house. The home is rather sparsely furnished, as it would have been when it was inhabited, though there are some interesting things to see. One of the owners used to make musical instruments, some of which are quite rare and can be seen on the tour. In addition to the musical instruments, there are some intricate cookie molds utilized for baking traditional German cookies.

In the Carl Strehly house, which is located just down the street from the Pommer-Gentner house, visitors can see more historical artifacts from Hermann’s past. There is a basement filled with the type and printing press once used for the local newspaper. There is also beer and wine paraphernalia from the town’s brewing and wine-making history, including an area where wine used to be cellared. Again, the house itself is rather sparsely decorated, but the architecture and historical details inside are informative and interesting.

Deutschheim reveals a big part of Missouri’s history–the influx of German immigrants that populated what became known as Missouri’s Rhineland during the nineteenth century. For anyone interested in history, especially Missouri history, Deutschheim makes a great day trip.