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Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series is growing, now twining around Missouri’s wine country, a pleasant little drive from St. Louis. Local author Dianna Graveman and photographer husband Don announce their recent book, Missouri’s Wine Country: St. Charles to Hermann, which includes over 200 vintage images. Per the press release, “Before prohibition, Missouri was the second largest wine-producing state in the union, and for a short time during the Civil War, it was number one.” German immigrants settling around the Missouri River in the 1800's are to thank for this distinction.
Missouri’s wine country includes the towns of Augusta, Defiance, Washington, Dutzow and Hermann which are known for their history and German culture. The book follows the Missouri Weinstrasse, through country southeast of St. Charles, and the Hermann Wine Trail. These winding, scenic roads lead to a number of popular wineries such as Balducci, Sugar Creek and Robller.
The Graveman’s latest collaboration, Washington, will be hot off the press this week, detailing “Washington Landing,” settled in the early 1800’s by anti-slavery German families. This pretty town has hundreds of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The first Busch beer was produced here. Visit the Gravemans at their Washington Historical Society book signing this coming Sunday, July 17, 1-4pm, on the corner of Market and Fourth in Washington. They will also be at the Grape Stomp at Stone Hill Winery on August 14. from 11am-1pm.
Missouri’s Wine Country and Washington, along with the Graveman’s earlier book, St. Charles: Les Petite Cotes, are available at local bookstores, Amazon and other online retail sites. A book about Hermann will follow sometime this fall. More information can be found at the Gravemans’ website.
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