The August Sehrt House is a historic home located at 275 Webster Street in August, Missouri (St. Charles County). This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1994. This small, yet meaningful, house was constructed around 1860 by August Sehrt.
This one-and-a-half-story brick house sits on a stone foundation. There's no particular architectural style with this building. Its significance is associated with European architecture.
This house was based on a simple central-passage plan without a lot of ornate details. On entry to the house, on either side of the central hall is a room. A stairway leads to the basement and the loft.
The historic porch which was deteriorating needed to be replaced. The stone basement is exposed to the rear of the house and includes a door and two windows.
The Sehrt House is an example of the houses built by German settlers in Augusta. When they settled in St. Charles County, they also brought their traditions and building practices.
August Sehrt
August Sehrt arrived in America in 1848 with other family members. His brother, Julius, was with him. Julius would go on to become a successful landowner.
Sehrt was a carpenter, cabinet maker, and wine grower. His house displays Missouri German vernacular traditions.
Sehrt was born in Hannover, Germany around 1823 and by 1856, he was living in St. Charles County. He and his wife, Catharina Niederjohann, were married by a preacher named Georg Muench, and his son, Georg Muench Jr. founded the Mt. Pleasant Winery in Augusta.
Sehrt acquired the land for his house between 1857 and 1860, and he also owned a 4-acre farm. He had three acres of vineyards from which he produced wine.
Sehrt died on October 30, 1884, at age 60. In 1900, his widow was still on the farm with three children. Sehrt's heirs held the property until 1975 when the town of August purchased the property. At the time the house was nominated for the National Register, it was slated to become a museum after restoration.
Today, the Sehrt House is the Augusta History Museum with items that tell the history of the town.
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