photo by Caren Libby
Washington is a quaint, Missouri River town in Missouri’s wine region that has been on the rise in recent years. Its downtown is well preserved, and full of activity.
photo by Maureen Minich
photo by Allen Casey
photo by Theresa Harter
photo by Dennis Daugherty
photo by James Palmour
photo by Michelle Bates
photo by Donna Burch
photo by Jason Gray
The origins of Washington, Missouri lay with Daniel Boone and his nearby settlement in the late 1700s. Though some of Boone’s followers also claimed land, the town was not incorporated until 1839 (thanks largely to the work of Kentucky-transplant William Owens and his wife–Owens was actually murdered before the town was founded). This was during the second wave of German immigration to the U.S.
The Germans were the first major group of settlers to arrive in Washington, and like they had in St. Louis a decade earlier, brought their culture, religion, building prowess and recreational pursuits (beer and winemaking!). By 1900, Washington, though small, was a powerful, regional center of manufacturing for shoes, musical instruments (namely, the zither) and corn cob pipes. In fact, the Missouri Meerschaum Company continues to sell corn cob pipes around the world to this day.
In the 20th Century, Washington continued to prosper, despite experiencing many of the same setbacks that killed other German small towns; namely, prohibition (the first Busch Beer was brewed at John Busch’s Washington Brewery), American nationalism (World War I brought about the end of German being taught alongside English in American schools), and a decline in industry. Somehow, several of the premier manufacturers in Washington kept their machines running, despite other businesses leaving the city, and I think it was this, combined with the community’s commitment to its heritage, that kept the town growing, even while nearby cities and towns floundered.
photo by Jason Gray
photo by Allen Casey
photo by Maureen Minich
photo by Dennis Daugherty
photo by James Palmour
photo by Maureen Minich
photo by Michelle Bates
Ok, so the day we happened to be in Washington was perhaps not the best day to see it truly shine. It was cold, rainy and overcast, and most people were hunkered down inside, but believe us when we say that this town has a lot going on.
Similar to nearby Hermann and Augusta, its location in the State’s wine region is not lost on Washington, and is a major source of a growing tourism industry, as are celebrations of German heritage, like its Oktoberfest and Christmas Festival. The community is also host to a number of small museums, including the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame. Likewise, Washington’s main streets thrum with restaurants, cafes and shops. This is a success no doubt illustrated by Washington’s housing costs, where single family homes near the river can go for more than $1/2 million! If you have not visited before, or haven’t been in a while, now is the time.
photo by Caren Libby
photo by Theresa Harter
photo by Maureen Minich
photo by Donna Burch