Mount Vernon is a city in, and the county seat of, Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,900 at the 2020 census,[2] down from 2,451 in 2010. It is home to Brewton–Parker College.
Mount Vernon, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 City Hall in Mount Vernon | |
 Location in Montgomery County and the state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 32°10′53″N 82°35′38″W / 32.18139°N 82.59389°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Montgomery |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.23 sq mi (10.95 km2) |
| • Land | 4.20 sq mi (10.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,900 |
| • Density | 474.04/sq mi (183.03/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 30445 |
| Area code | 912 |
| FIPS code | 13-53508 [3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0318897 [4] |
| Website | mtvernonga |
History
editMount Vernon was founded in 1797. It became the county seat in 1813, replacing the plantation of Arthur Lott. It was incorporated as a town in 1872 and as a city in 1960.[5] The city is named after Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington.[6]
Geography
editMount Vernon is located on the west side of Montgomery County at 32°10′53″N 82°35′38″W / 32.18139°N 82.59389°W (32.181403, -82.593759).[7] It sits on high ground 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the Oconee River, which forms the Wheeler County line. It is bordered to the east by Ailey.
U.S. Routes 221 and 280 intersect just north of the center of town. US 221 leads north 14 miles (23 km) to Soperton and south 25 miles (40 km) to Hazlehurst, while US 280 leads east 11 miles (18 km) to Vidalia and west 21 miles (34 km) to McRae–Helena.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Mount Vernon has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), of which 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2), or 0.76%, are water.[1]
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 69 | — | |
| 1890 | 707 | 924.6% | |
| 1900 | 573 | −19.0% | |
| 1910 | 605 | 5.6% | |
| 1920 | 722 | 19.3% | |
| 1930 | 779 | 7.9% | |
| 1940 | 900 | 15.5% | |
| 1950 | 990 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,166 | 17.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,579 | 35.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,737 | 10.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,914 | 10.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,082 | 8.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,451 | 17.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,990 | −18.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 790 | 39.7% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 977 | 49.1% |
| Native American | 4 | 0.2% |
| Asian | 15 | 0.75% |
| Other/Mixed | 48 | 2.41% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 156 | 7.84% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,990 people, 841 households, and 554 families residing in the city.
Education
editCollege
editBrewton–Parker College is a private, Christian, coeducational college whose main campus is located in Mount Vernon.
Primary and secondary education
editThe Montgomery County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.[10] The district has 83 full-time teachers and over 1,294 students.[11]
- Montgomery County High School
- Montgomery County Middle School
- Montgomery County Elementary School
Montgomery County High School didn't have an integrated prom until 2010. The school received national attention in the New York Times for unofficially sponsoring separate, segregated proms for white and black students. It is one of 178 school districts in the United States with an open, active desegregation order.[12][13][14]
Media
edit- WYUM, 101.7 FM Radio
Infrastructure
editTransportation
edit- Highways
Notable people
edit- John Britton, third baseman in the Negro leagues and the Japanese Pacific League
- Theodore Johnson, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Roquan Smith, linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "P1. Race – Mount Vernon city, Georgia: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 240. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 153. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link], Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ Sara Corbett (May 21, 2009). "A Prom Divided". New York Times.
- ^ Montgomery County High School to have First Integrated Prom; WTOC 11; April 23, 2009.
- ^ Southern Rites documentary; HBO; 2015.