Where Is Mt. Vernon?Mt. Vernon is ideally positioned on I-44, serving as the Gateway to the Ozarks region. Within commuting distance of larger cities like Joplin and Springfield, Mt. Vernon has the small-town charm families look for but large enough to have everything you need and support a thriving workforce for businesses. In "Mountaineer Country", families are within just an hour of tourist cities like Branson as well as Stockton and Tablerock Lakes.
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Economic DevelopmentOur mission to support economic growth and vitality is our first priority. The Chamber of Commerce works closely with city and county governments as well as the Economic Development Council (EDC) to assist businesses with development and expansions. Mt. Vernon offers an ideal centralized location with two exits off I-44 and within 30 miles of Highway 71.
One of the great attractions of the city for either prospective business or industry looking to move to a small city in a centralized location is the fact that Mt. Vernon has no city, personal or property taxes. This has, and will continue to serve, as a beacon for both the large industries as well as the small business owner. These business owners, like everyone else, would love to keep costs down while watching profits soar. Mt. Vernon's unique "no property tax" approach gives potential businesses that chance, a much-needed head start above the competition. The city has close to 2,000 jobs, with the potential of more moving into town each month. City officials have worked hard to beef up the city's infrastructure, laying down miles and miles of electrical, water and sewer lines. The event that probably brought the most attention to the community was the completion of the I-44 highway in 1965, one of the major east-west corridors found in America. Thanks to the road and the traffic that it brings to Mt. Vernon's doorstep on a daily basis, the truck and tourist industry has exploded, helping to expand the city's healthy economy. In fact, two of the top 5 businesses in Mt. Vernon are trucking related. The Carnation Milk Company first moved to Mt. Vernon in 1923. Today it is Schreiber Foods, one of the largest employers. Top employers found in Mt. Vernon include: the Mt. Vernon School District, three campus schools; TA Truck Stop; Reyco Granning Suspensions; Missouri Veterans' Home; and the Lawrence County Manor/Residential Care Facility. Mt. Vernon is very proud of the idea that it serves as a "strategic" waypoint for travelers driving coast-to-coast across the country. Additional Facts
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History
If the name "Mt. Vernon" sounds familiar to you, it might be due to the fact that the city was named in honor of George Washington's residence on the Potomac River.
Mt. Vernon is situated almost in the exact center of Lawrence County. It serves as the county seat and is home to the historic three-story stone Lawrence County Courthouse, constructed in 1901.
As with most small Missouri communities, war has shaped the town's modest rural roots. During the Civil War, both Confederate and Federal troops were headquartered in Mt. Vernon. One significant clash took place in 1862 when General Samuel Curtis' troops captured a rebel outpost in town, replacing the "stars and bars" with the "stars and stripes" from atop the county's courthouse. The incident has since been referred to as the "Rebel Flag Incident." More than 100 different regiments either camped or passed through Mt. Vernon during the war.
Judge John Williams was the first settler in the county setting up his household just south of Mt. Vernon more than 30 years before the Civil War. Most early settlers came from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Virginia, with a few from almost every state east of the Mississippi. The county was officially organized and Mt. Vernon was designated county seat in 1845; the original portion of the city was surveyed and divided into lots in May of that year.
In 1891, the Greenfield and Northern Railroad was built, contributing greatly to early commercial development.
One of the city's earliest - and most famous - teachers was Harold Bell Wright, later to become the most popular writer of the day when he published "The Shepherd of the Hills," which was to make the Branson area famous. The book featured many local residents, and the original shepherd of Mutton Hollow (James Marion Woods) lies buried in Williams Cemetery west of town.
For more information, please contact us at 417-466-7654 or by Email.
Mt. Vernon is situated almost in the exact center of Lawrence County. It serves as the county seat and is home to the historic three-story stone Lawrence County Courthouse, constructed in 1901.
As with most small Missouri communities, war has shaped the town's modest rural roots. During the Civil War, both Confederate and Federal troops were headquartered in Mt. Vernon. One significant clash took place in 1862 when General Samuel Curtis' troops captured a rebel outpost in town, replacing the "stars and bars" with the "stars and stripes" from atop the county's courthouse. The incident has since been referred to as the "Rebel Flag Incident." More than 100 different regiments either camped or passed through Mt. Vernon during the war.
Judge John Williams was the first settler in the county setting up his household just south of Mt. Vernon more than 30 years before the Civil War. Most early settlers came from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Virginia, with a few from almost every state east of the Mississippi. The county was officially organized and Mt. Vernon was designated county seat in 1845; the original portion of the city was surveyed and divided into lots in May of that year.
In 1891, the Greenfield and Northern Railroad was built, contributing greatly to early commercial development.
One of the city's earliest - and most famous - teachers was Harold Bell Wright, later to become the most popular writer of the day when he published "The Shepherd of the Hills," which was to make the Branson area famous. The book featured many local residents, and the original shepherd of Mutton Hollow (James Marion Woods) lies buried in Williams Cemetery west of town.
For more information, please contact us at 417-466-7654 or by Email.