Mount Vernon, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Vernon, Iowa
City
Location of Mount Vernon, Iowa
Mount Vernon, Iowa Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Linn
Area
• Total	3.50 sq mi (9.07 km2)
• Land	3.50 sq mi (9.05 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	879 ft (268 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,527
• Density	1,295.28/sq mi (500.07/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	52314
Area code(s)	319
FIPS code	19-54840
GNIS feature ID	0459344
Website	City Website

Mount Vernon is a city in Linn County, Iowa, in the United States. It is right next to the city of Lisbon. In 2020, about 4,527 people lived there. Mount Vernon is part of the larger Cedar Rapids area, which is a group of cities and towns connected by jobs and daily life.

History of Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon was officially planned in 1847. But its story began even earlier, around 1838. Back then, it was known as Pinhook. It was a popular rest stop on the old Military Road. This road connected Dubuque on the Mississippi River to Iowa City.

In 1847, the town was renamed Mount Vernon. This new name honored the famous estate of George Washington. A post office opened in Mount Vernon in 1849. In 1853, a school called the Iowa Conference (Methodist) Male and Female Seminary was started. This school later became Cornell College. When the Northwestern Railroad arrived in 1859, it brought new businesses and helped the town grow even more.

Geography and Location

Mount Vernon is located at 41°55′27″N 91°25′11″W / 41.92417°N 91.41972°W / 41.92417; -91.41972. The city covers about 3.50 square miles (9.07 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water.

The most interesting natural feature in Mount Vernon is the "mountain" it sits on. This isn't a real mountain, but a special kind of ridge called a paha. Pahas are ridges made of sand and a fine soil called loess. They form when wind blows during ice ages. The Mount Vernon paha is about one mile (2 kilometers) long and 1/4 mile (1/2 kilometer) wide. It rises up to 100 feet (30 meters) above the land around it. The main part of Mount Vernon is on the southeast end of this ridge. The campus of Cornell College is on the northwest end.

How to Get Around Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon has always been an important place for travel. The main train line of the Union Pacific Railroad goes through the city. The town is also located on the historic Lincoln Highway, one of America's first cross-country roads. Today, U.S. Route 30 and Iowa Highway 1 meet in the southern part of town.

In the past, you could take a passenger train from the Chicago and North Western Railway. There was also an electric railway called the CRANDIC interurban. It ran from Cedar Rapids, through downtown Mount Vernon, and ended in nearby Lisbon. This electric train ran from 1914 to 1928. A trip to Cedar Rapids took about 45 minutes.

Population and People

Mount Vernon's Population in 2020

In 2020, the city of Mount Vernon had 4,527 people living there. There were 1,387 households, which are groups of people living together. About 90.6% of the people were White. Other groups included 1.5% Black or African American, 2.0% Asian, and 0.3% Native American. About 3.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Mount Vernon was 28.2 years old. About 31.3% of the people were under 20 years old. Also, 12.7% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.4%) and females (50.6%).

Arts and Fun Activities

Mount Vernon has some cool art and events. On Highway 30, you can see a large painting by local artist Mark Benesh. It's a copy of the famous "American Gothic" painting, but it's on the side of a barn!

Yearly Events and Festivals

• Chalk the Walk: Every May since 2006, Mount Vernon hosts a sidewalk chalk festival called "Chalk the Walk." Several streets in Uptown Mount Vernon are closed to cars. People of all ages are invited to create amazing artwork on more than 4,000 square feet of the main street. Over 300 artists participate, using more than half a ton of chalk! Artists can register to color a large 8' x 10' section. There are even cash prizes for the best drawings. Each year, there's also a huge group art project that is 20' by 40'. Many different artists work together to color small squares of this big picture. "Chalk the Walk" is Iowa's biggest yearly Madonnari Festival, which celebrates street painting.

• Magical Night: In December, the downtown area lights up for "Magical Night," a fun Christmas festival.

Other popular events include the Chocolate Stroll, Heritage Days, Chili Cook-Off, and Uptown Thursday Nights.

Education in Mount Vernon

King Chapel, Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa

Mount Vernon is home to Cornell College. This is a liberal arts school with about 1,200 students. The entire campus of Cornell College is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The city also has its own public schools. The Mount Vernon Community School District has an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. All three schools are on the same campus. The newest building is the high school, built in 2006. Before that, the high school was in the building that is now the middle school. And even before that, the middle school was located in what is now the First Street Community Center downtown.

Notable People from Mount Vernon

Many interesting people have connections to Mount Vernon:

• Leo Beranek (1914–2016) was a professor at MIT, a scientist, and a businessman. He went to college in Mount Vernon.
• Dan Bern (born 1959) is a folk musician.
• Tristan Wirfs (born 1999) is a professional National Football League player.
• Jack Cochrane (born 1999) is also a professional National Football League player.
• Peter Kollman (1944–2001) was a chemist and professor.
• Jefferson White (born 1989) is an actor.

See also

In Spanish: Mount Vernon (Iowa) para niños