Gasconade County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the south bank of the Missouri River in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 14,794 at the 2020 census and covers 524 square miles (1,360 km2) centred near 38°26′N 91°31′W.
Hermann is the county seat, and its postal code is 65041. The county has five incorporated cities and towns and about a dozen unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone and was organized in 1820.
Towns & Villages in Gasconade County
Gasconade County has five incorporated places — Owensville, Hermann, Gasconade, Morrison and Rosebud, plus a sixth, Bland, that straddles the Osage County line — and around fifteen unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. Type key: City = incorporated city, Unincorp. = unincorporated community or crossroads.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owensville | City | 2,757 | 65066 |
| Hermann | City · seat | 2,185 | 65041 |
| Gasconade | City | — | 65046 |
| Rosebud | City | — | 63091 |
| Morrison | City | — | 65061 |
| Bland | City | — | 65014 |
| Bay | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cleavesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Drake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fredericksburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Little Berger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Sterling | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Woollam | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redbird | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swiss | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bland lies mostly in Gasconade County but crosses into neighboring Osage County, a common arrangement for small Missouri towns platted near a county line; the site lists it once, under Gasconade, since its post office and most of its footprint sit here.
ZIP Codes
- 65041 — Hermann (county seat)
- 65066 — Owensville, the county’s largest city
- 65046 — Gasconade
- 65061 — Morrison
- 65014 — Bland
- 63091 — Rosebud
Smaller communities such as Bay, Bem, Drake, Fredericksburg and Mount Sterling use the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Gasconade County sits on the south bank of the Missouri River in the Ozark border country, where rolling upland forest and pasture give way to river-bottom farmland along the Missouri and the Gasconade River, which gave the county its name. The county is split between two federally designated wine regions: the Hermann area, part of the Missouri Rhineland, was named an American Viticultural Area in 1983, and the county’s southern portion falls within the larger Ozark Highlands AVA established in 1987. Historic civil townships — Boeuf, Boulware, Bourbois, Brush Creek, Canaan, Clay, Richland, Roark and Third Creek — still appear on maps and in census records, though they carry no local government function today.
Gasconade County borders Montgomery County to the north, Warren County to the northeast, Franklin County to the east, Crawford County to the southeast, Phelps County to the south, Maries County to the southwest, Osage County to the west and Callaway County to the northwest.
Demographics
Gasconade County had 14,794 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 518 square miles of land for a density of roughly 29 people per square mile. Owensville, with 2,757 residents, is the largest place in the county, followed by the county seat, Hermann, with 2,185. Gasconade County’s median household income runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, typical of the county’s rural, agricultural and light-manufacturing economy.
Economy & Local Life
Wine and tourism anchor the Hermann economy: seven wineries in and around town produce about a third of Missouri’s wine output, and the city markets itself as a weekend destination for its German heritage, brick architecture and river views. Hermann holds a Maifest on the third weekend of May and an Oktoberfest across the first four weekends of October, and calls itself the sausage-making capital of Missouri. Elsewhere in the county, farming, timber and small manufacturing employ most residents, with many commuting east toward the St. Louis metro area or south toward Rolla for work.
History
Gasconade County was organized on November 25, 1820, taking its name from the Gasconade River, itself named by early French traders. Hermann was founded in 1837 by the German Settlement Society of Philadelphia as a planned colony meant to preserve German language and culture on the American frontier, and became the county seat in 1842. The Missouri River shaped the county’s early economy as its main transportation route before railroads and highways reached the area.
Getting There
- Washington, Missouri — 25 miles east
- Rolla — 35 miles south
- Jefferson City — 45 miles west
- St. Louis — 80 miles east
U.S. Route 63 runs north–south through the county’s western side and Missouri Route 100 follows the Missouri River through Hermann, connecting to Interstate 44 to the south. The nearest commercial airport is St. Louis Lambert International Airport, roughly 90 minutes east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gasconade County, Missouri?
It lies in east-central Missouri, on the south bank of the Missouri River, between the St. Louis metro area and the Ozark border country to the south.
What is the population of Gasconade County?
14,794 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Gasconade County?
524 square miles (1,360 km2), of which 518 square miles is land and 6.6 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Gasconade County?
Hermann, which has been the seat since 1842 and gave the surrounding Missouri Rhineland wine region its name.
How many towns are in Gasconade County?
Six incorporated cities and towns — Owensville, Hermann, Gasconade, Morrison, Rosebud and Bland — plus roughly a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Gasconade County?
Six main ZIP codes cover the county, from 65041 in Hermann to 65066 in Owensville; see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
Why is Hermann known for wine?
Hermann sits inside the Hermann American Viticultural Area, designated in 1983, where seven wineries produce roughly a third of all Missouri wine.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.