Former Town of Hamburg Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 40.147 W 090° 43.958
15S E 697257 N 4282498
Historical marker along the Hamburg trail in Weldon Springs Conservation Area in St. Charles County.
Waymark Code: WMDHQ5
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/18/2012
Views: 7
Text of marker:
Former Town of Hamburg, Missouri
Just east of this point was the center of the town of Hamburg. In July 1834, a group of German immigrants came up the Missouri River and land at a natural landing site on the river's northern side. Wilhelm Koenig, George W. Mades, Johann Nahm, Nicholas Roth, Daniel Schmidt, and Jacob Schneider were an advance party which would soon be followed by wives, children, and other family members.
In March of 1940, Henry Schneider Sr. selected high ground astride the Femme Osage Road later Highway 94) about one-half mile west and well above the founder's original landing site. He officially platted the village of New Hamburg. Upper Hamburg, also known as "Hamburg Proper", was located along Highway 94. Lower Hamburg, or "Lower Town", was located in the Missouri River floodplain. Lower Town became a natural site for farms to get produce to market and to purchase dry goods and other supplies.
Hamburg (pop. 121) was a quiet farming community composed primarily of people of German descent. In 1940, the United States government took the land and displaced the residents for the purpose of building an explosives production plant to benefit the war effort. Families were given no more than three months to leave their homes and the area.