Missouri German Heritage Corridor

Brunswick welcomes visitors to the northwestern-most county of Missouri German Heritage Corridor, as they explore the stories, history, festivals and identity of our early German ancestors.

In the 1800s, thousands of Germans settled along the Missouri River valley, similar to the Rheinland, where distinctly German communities still exist, including Brunswick in Chariton County, Missouri.

On July 1, 2016, Governor Jay Nixon designated 16 counties along the Missouri River as the Missouri German Heritage Corridor, when he signed House Bill 1851 into law.

“Beginning in the 1830s, thousands of German immigrants moved to Missouri in several large groups and settled in this corridor. They were inspired in part by a favorable report of the area by Gottfried Duden of Warren County, and by the resemblance of the Missouri River Valley to the Rhineland. By 1860, Germans comprised more than half of Missouri’s foreign-born residents. They brought their distinctive German culture with them, including wine and beer making, agriculture, festivals, language, religion, customs, and architecture, leaving an indelible imprint on Missouri and the nation.”

“The Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) has implemented a heritage tourism initiative highlighting Missouri’s German culture and history along the Missouri River. Missouri Humanities Council’s goal is to create an interactive website and app which will allow tourists and others interested in Missouri immigrant history to explore German heritage in the state.”