Mount Vernon is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,526. Mount Vernon is located halfway between Springfield and Joplin along I-44.

History

Mount Vernon was platted in 1845. The city was named after Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington. A post office called Mount Vernon has been in operation since 1846.

Lawrence County Courthouse and Old Spanish Fort Archeological Site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Mount Vernon had a population of 4,526. The median age was 39.5 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.9 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,753 households in Mount Vernon, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.4% were married-couple households, 16.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 4,575 people, 1,810 households, and 1,101 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,013 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3% White, 0.4% African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 1,810 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 40.3 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census

The date that the current middle school was built is unknown, but a plaque mounted in the main hallway states that it was built in 1968 after the original one burned in a fire (according to teachers) on 4 Janurary, 1967 The current high school was built in 1997, replacing the middle school and the old stadium there. The floodlights at the middle school were removed but their posts are still there, and a unknown building was torn down in 2018 or 2019.

The Mount Vernon High School "Lady Mountaineers" won the Missouri Class 3A girls basketball state championship in 2010 and 2012.

Mount Vernon has a public library, a branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library.

thumb|right|Mural in Mount Vernon post office, September 2017

Arts and culture

In October, the city hosts "Apple Butter Makin' Days", an annual crafts and food festival.

Notable people

  • Charles D. Barger, WWI Private First Class, Decorated war hero, Medal of Honor recipient
  • Bobby Berk, interior design expert, Queer Eye
  • Julia Butterfly Hill, environmental activist
  • Joe J. Manlove, U.S. Representative from Missouri
  • Isaac V. McPherson, U.S. Representative from Missouri

See also

  • List of cities in Missouri

References

  • Historic maps of Mount Vernon in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri