HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
Missouri's oldest stone wine cellars, built 1848-1852, where doors open and chairs move on their own in the vaults below the NRHP-listed complex
330 E. First St., Hermann, MO 65041
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Wine tasting carries a fee; see hermannhof.com for current pricing.
Access
Limited Access
Historic stone cellars with uneven floors and low ceilings; stairs required for some areas
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1852 · Built 1848-1852 by German immigrants · Ten stone cellars among Missouri's oldest · Part of NRHP historic district (100+ Hermann buildings) · Hermann founded 1837 by German Settlement Society of Philadelphia
Hermannhof Winery at 330 E. First Street in Hermann, Missouri began construction in 1848 and was completed in 1852, when German immigrants built the facility in the neighborhood known locally as the French section of town. The winery's ten stone cellars were cut by hand into the hillside during the 1850s and 1860s and are among the oldest wine cellars in Missouri.
Hermann itself was founded in 1837 by the German Settlement Society of Philadelphia, an organization that sought to create a German cultural enclave in the American interior. By the 1860s it was one of the most productive wine-producing regions in the United States. Hermannhof's cellars reflect that era directly — their stone construction and subterranean layout follow Central European winery traditions transplanted to the Missouri River bluffs.
The Hermannhof complex is included in the National Register of Historic Places historic district covering more than 100 Hermann buildings. The winery today operates tasting rooms in the historic facility and offers tours of the stone cellars. Missouri wine industry promotional materials have cited Hermannhof's paranormal reputation as part of Hermann's broader heritage tourism draw.
Sources
Paranormal accounts at Hermannhof center on the stone cellars. Staff have described doors swinging open and closing on their own in the lower cellar passages — movement that cannot be attributed to drafts given the sealed subterranean construction. A separate account describes chairs in the cellar sitting room scooting several inches across the stone floor without contact.
Missouri Wine Country promotional coverage has noted these accounts as part of Hermann's status as one of the state's more haunted wine districts. No specific historical figure is named in connection with the phenomena; the accounts focus on atmospheric movement rather than apparitions. The cellars' age and their isolation from wind and foot traffic make the self-reported staff experiences the primary evidence for the site's paranormal reputation.
The Insider's Tasting Experience is a one-hour guided tasting of six wines from Hermannhof, G. Husmann Wine Co. and Reserve Cellars, paired with a charcuterie board and limited to ten guests per session. It runs March 27 through December 19, 2026. Ordinary tasting-room visits are also available during regular hours.
Some links on this page may earn HauntBound a small commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial picks are independent. Full disclosure
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Free Guide
11 verified stops, rated for families, mapped in order. Free.
One email to confirm, then the guide link. Unsubscribe anytime.
Skagway, AK
The Red Onion Saloon was established in 1898 in Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush and later moved to its Broadway location, operating as a dance hall, saloon, and bordello. The upstairs held ten small rooms, called cribs, where women worked under a series of madams. The building survived the post-rush decline and now runs as a saloon, restaurant, and brothel museum within the Skagway Historic District.
Milwaukee, WI
Shaker's Cigar Bar occupies an 1894 Walker's Point building originally constructed as a cooperage for the Schlitz Brewing Company. During Prohibition the structure operated as a speakeasy reportedly tied to the Capone family, with a brothel on the upper floors. Bob Weiss converted it to its current cigar-bar configuration in 1986.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Katy O'Ferrell's occupies 300 Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau, a building whose core dates to an 1806 structure built by Charles Ellis. The Turner Society demolished most of that building in 1868-1888, keeping only the rear sandstone foundation, and the Masons later ran it as the Opera House and Masonic Lodge from 1881 to 1891. A fire on March 8, 1990 destroyed the building's upper two floors, which were rebuilt before Katy O'Ferrell's opened in 2014. The second floor is closed to regular use, and staff associate it with unexplained activity.