Photo byGoogle Maps screenshot.

The historic Vallet-Danuser House is off Highway 100 east of Hermann, Missouri. This house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 23, 1982. This house is privately owned. It's currently involved with an online bidding event (links with some amazing photos below).

The rear ell of this two-story home was constructed in 1855 and the main section was built in 1865. One interesting feature is its underground vaulted wine cellar. The property also includes a smokehouse, barn, and tenant house.

Backstory

The Vallet-Danuser House is important because it's linked to the German settlement of Herman. It's also associated with Frederick Vallet, a brickmaker, farmer, and vintner. The house is evidence of the traditions of Missouri German building.

The house occupies land originally acquired by the German Settlement Society of Missouri for the establishment of Hermann, a German colony, in 1838. Vallet greatly contributed to the growth and development of Hermann with his brickmaking operation.

The German Settlement Society of Philadelphia wanted a remote part of the U.S., a place where settlers could embrace their life in America and still retain their heritage, customs, and language. Supposedly, they toured different midwestern states and decided on the place by the Missouri River in northern Gasconade County. The bluffs and valley reminded them of the Rhineland.

A man named George Bayer was sent to Missouri to purchase land and he obtained over 11,000 acres around October 1837. It became Hermann. Adam ValletAdam Vallet (or Valet or Valett) was one of the signers of the German Settlement Society's constitution. As one of the first settlers to Hermann, his wife, Margareta, and his son, Frederick, came with him in 1838. The 1870 U.S. Census shows the family resided in the Roark Township.

Vallet was a brickmaker. In 1839, he started operating his brick kiln and supplied his building material for many early buildings. His son continued the family trade.

In 1861, Frederick purchased his father's property, which included the brickyards. It's believed that the two-story brick farmhouse had already been built by that time. Frederick was also involved with grape growing and farming. In 1905, the Vallet name was listed in the names of pioneers of Hermann's wine industry.

Frederick operated the brickyards until he died in 1913. The Vallet brickmaking ended at that time and the vineyard deteriorated. Vineyards were forced into destruction anyway by the 1920s when Prohibition began.

In 1925, after over 80 years in the Vallet family, 211.86 acres were sold to Walter J. Danuser according to deed records. He rented the property to the Kuntz family.

Elmer Danuser, who inherited the property in 1980 from his father, eventually sold the property to the City of Hermann for development as an industrial park.

It's fortunate, however, that the house and 7.8 acres weren't included in the industrial park. The buildings were eventually restored and at one time it operated as an old-style bed and breakfast named Alpenhorn Gasthaus & Kitchen. This bed and breakfast is no longer operating as its website and Facebook page are down. The owners retired and the property is for sale.

The venue later became the The Vallet House, which has a website that is still operating. Its Facebook page announced there wouldn't be a dinner service for 2024. The page also indicates it's closed.

According to the Redfin real estate website, the property was listed in June 2024. Visit here to see some amazing photos. Also, the price listed on the site doesn't represent the actual selling price. According to Zillow, there is an online bidding event occurring.

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