Exploring the historic village of Hermann, and St. Charles County, Missouri
Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with folks in Hermann, Missouri. We’ll visit with Susan Nichols at Hermann Farm Museum; Bruce Cox, the mayor of Hermann; Tammy Bruckerhoff, Hermann’s Director of Tourism; Parker from Adam Puchta Winery—the oldest continuously operating family owned winery in America; and Mike Sloan, owner of the super popular Worst House.
We’ll then visit with Scott Drachnik with St. Charles County Economic Development Council who shares cool insights about the historic region. The riverside town of St. Charles, formed when Jefferson was president, boasts America’s second largest historic district—larger than Charleston, South Carolina’s.
Billionaire returns to his roots to infuse the renaissance of Augusta, Missouri
The rural village of Augusta, Missouri. It’s less than an hour’s drive to St. Louis but it’s truly a world away.
Jerri and David Hoffmann grew up in Washington, Missouri at a time when David’s family didn’t even have running water in their home.
After graduating from college, Hoffmann’s initial foray as one of the world’s foremost corporate headhunters (DHR International) catapulted his business ventures to include investing in financial services, hospitality, aviation, media marketing and more.
Fifty years later, the Hoffmanns returned to their roots to reinvigorate Augusta, Missouri (a stone’s throw from their hometown) with an initial 150 million dollar economic infusion, including renovations of more than 60 historic homes and commercial enterprises along with ownership of four wineries and more than 1,250 acres of vineyard.
It’s the people who make Missouri’s Silver Dollar City a treasured experience
Silver Dollar City amusement park, situated in the heart of the Ozarks, adjacent to Branson, offers incredible thrill rides such as the legendary seven roller coasters. Many of the employees have been there for decades with a treasured few working there for more than a half century.
Silver Dollar City features more than 40 thrill rides and attractions, live shows and concerts, 18 restaurants and 60 unique shops—and it all started with a historic cave—one of Missouri’s deepest. Join Brad Thomas, President of Silver Dollar City Amusement Park
Mark Twain reenactor Jim Waddell shares illuminating insights about the historic riverside town of Hannibal
Join correspondent Tom Wilmer reporting from Hannibal, Missouri, the hometown of America’s celebrated storyteller, Mark Twain. Wilmer visits with Twain reenactor, Jim Waddell who has been breathing life in to the legacy of Twain for the past 30 years through his performances on-stage--from Nashville’s Opryland to the Royal York in Toronto. Waddell shares insights about the historic town’s vibrancy.
Amazing artifacts from the circa-1856 steamboat Arabia showcased in Kansas City Missouri museum
When the Steamboat Arabia sank near Kansas City, Kansas on September 5, 1856, she carried 200 tons of cargo.
In 1988 Bob Hawley and his partners located the steamship, lost for 132 years, and they dug it up in a farmer’s field. The incredible array of artifacts, including clothing, China, carpentry tools, guns, dishes and children’s toys, as well as the world’s oldest pickles are preserved and displayed at the Arabia Steamboat Museum, located in the historic City Market in downtown Kansas City, MO.
The river had shifted over the years and the Arabia was encapsulated in mud that served as an ideal anerobic environment, perfectly preserving the thousands of artifacts. Back in 2011 we visited with Bob Hawley and his wife, Florence at their Arabia Steamboat Museum.
Hawley passed away in 2019 and presently there’s talk of relocating the museum to St. Charles, Missouri but for now the steamship Arabia museum remains open to the public inside City Market.
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