The Gasconade County Courthouse in Hermann sits prominently on a Missouri River Bluff facing away from the River and the Montgomery County line about a quarter of a mile away in the middle of river channel.
It was built with a $50,000.00 gift from the Charles D. Eitzen estate on land donated by residents of Hermann. Since one is not supposed to “look a gift horse in the mouth” the County Commission not realizing parking would be a necessity since everyone walked where they went, were grateful for the gratis donation and decided it was the perfect place to build the courthouse with the gift.
Originally the parking on the top of the hill was significantly less than even now with access by a narrow, one-lane, concrete driveway and its blind turn at the top.
Complaints about lack of parking and access throughout history are likely as old as the courthouse. Too bad no one looked the free “gift horse in the mouth” and even then would have been unable to fathom the Chevrolet Subdivisions, the Ram Airstreams or the Ford King Ranch size vehicles of today.
What could have gone wrong?
It is now proposed to widen the access restricted location parking lot at the cost of let’s be honest, closer to a million than a half a million dollars.
I go the courthouse occasionally and very seldom encounter any parking problems. Even on days when court is in session, people are coming and going. No one denies if on the rare occasion a jury trial is in session, parking is a problem.
Will a million dollars solve this? If the million dollars is on hand, could it be better spent than building an amenity occasionally necessary? More parking spaces means a long wait time than before because of the congestion of additional vehicles and no additional exits.
Or, would it be more practical to spend the money on paving two county roads which have been on the “chip and seal waitlist” than on a pretty parking lot which would be seldom used?
The roads on that list are Stony Hill Road and Blue House Road, The latter has been on the county wish list for years as it is a shortcut with a dust free, hard surface Gasconade County Road to State Route H from Gerald to Sullivan.
As is typical in most small towns, when Hermann was platted, parking was not seen as a necessity. Business was funneled to the Riverfront with little concern for parking except on the streets. Imagine what parking would be like at the old High School if it where still in use!
For this reason and others, both Owensville and Hermann schools districts moved their campuses outside of town to provide adequate facilities for everyday needs.
Hermann is also fortunate to have transportation services which are underused on week days and could shuttle parties when the courthouse may be over-parked!
Earlier this year, I was informed at a commission meeting my idea of a Round-A-Bout at the 19/28 East intersection was a want and not a need.
I am wondering if the logic applied to my idea then may apply to the hefty price tag on a sparingly used parking lot opposed to the practicality of daily use of a 24/7/365 hard surfaced Stony Hill and Blue House Road. “The Bang for Your Buck” and the benefit of the latter far outweigh the former.
Mark A. Schaeperkoetter
P.S. Unless transportation is taken over by self-flying Ubercopters in the future and some of you are young enough to hear about the new, time-saving, efficient, safer, fuel saving, convenient and first Round-A-Bout in Gasconade County at the 19/28 Intersection, you read about it here first!
