Craig Kilby is correct; there are structures taller than the Hermann Monument in New Ulm. I think the question hinges on the definition of "monument". Hermann and the Statue of Liberty incorporate a human-like figure in their design, whereas the Washington Monument and the St. Louis Arch do not. But even this is a technicality right now because Hermann is not resting on the top of the monument. He was removed for repairs and is to be reinstalled by next year in time for the 150th anniversary of the founding of New Ulm. The Minnesota weather had taken its toll on Hermann. (Obviously, the source of my information was not correct.)
Out beyond New Ulm there is another town with a German-like name, Bismarck, North Dakota. Bismark is not quite as old as New Ulm, being founded only 131 years ago. Some settlers in the area founded it, as Camp Hancock, at the Missouri River to protect crews working on the Northern Pacific Railway. Hoping to attract German capital to the railroad, the camp was renamed for the German Chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck within a year. It was known as "The Crossing" for the ford of the Missouri River that could be made there.
At about the same time, gold was discovered in the Black Hills in 1874 and Bismarck became an important business center for the miners. During the heydays of the gold rush, Bismarck was known as the wildest town in the West. Duncan McEachran, on his way to Fort Benton, had to make a three-day stopover in Bismarck. He seems to have sampled all of the enterprises in the town and to have left a written description of them.
"Bismarck was started by the opening of a whiskey shop and though it now contains a population of over 2,000, the example set by the pioneer has been faithfully followed, since at least three-fourths of the buildings are grog shops, gambling houses, or places of amusement." (There was even an opera house, entered through a grog shop, where the audience smoked or chewed tobacco.) "About a half dozen women acted as waiters and their dress and manners indicated the life of immorality which they lead."
Incorporated in 1875, it became the Capital of Dakota Territory two years after McEachran’s visit in 1883. Shortly thereafter, the Territory was divided into two states in November 1889, and Bismarck became the seat of government of the State of North Dakota. Aside from the name of the place, Germans seem to have nothing to do with the founding or the early character of the Bismarck. I thought it was of interest as to how it acquired its name. My information comes from Robert and Barbara Selig.
(I changed email programs recently in an attempt to cut out part of the spam back at the Internet Service Provider (ISP). So far in less than a week, they have stopped more than 700 emails. A byproduct of this is that I have to learn another program and there are details that I do not yet understand.)
(31 Oct 03)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.