Running along the south bank of the Missouri River, Hwy-100 is the most interesting route between Jefferson City and St. Louis. Midway along, the town of Hermann (pop. 2,674) was founded by German immigrants in 1837. Surrounded by small wineries and standing right on the riverfront, Hermann reminds some visitors of a Rhine Valley village, its German heritage kept alive at the German School Museum (closed Mon.; 573/486-2017) at 4th and Schiller Streets downtown.
Roughly 50 miles from the Gateway Arch at downtown St. Louis, the redbrick town of Washington (pop. 13,243) rises on narrow streets above the broad Missouri River. Like Hermann, the town was settled by German immigrants in the mid 1800s, and is now full of restaurants and B&B inns catering to weekend visitors—the visitors center (636/239-7575), at 323 W. Main Street, has extensive listings.
The small Washington Historical Society Museum at 4th and Market streets has exhibits on early settlers and the town’s current main industry (after tourism, that is): manufacturing corn-cob pipes.
