Arts & Culture

In the eleven years between 1805 to 1816, Mount Vernon was known as McFadden's Bluff.  This name can be linked back to the first permanent settlers to the area, the McFadden family.

Originally from North Carolina, the McFadden family found themselves residents of Bowling Green, Ky.  It was during that part of his life that, while on a hunting trip, Andrew McFadden discovered the high and dry area of the bluff, and found it very appealing.  Shortly after returning home, and no more than a year after discovering the area, Andrew moved his family to the bluff.

For the first year the McFadden's lived on a piece of land owned by Jesse Oatman, which later became known as Hageman farm.  After a year of living on Oatman's land, though, the McFadden family moved again; this time only a short distance, to a log cabin which became known as the first dwelling in Mount Vernon.  It was during the year of 1806 that the bluff truly began to grow and prosper.

In the years between the founding of the McFadden's Bluff and the establishment of Mount Vernon there is little record of history.  However, during the the first four years of the McFadden's new life on the bluff, it is known that trading boats would land on the rocks in front of Oatman's land until 1810, when they began using a wharf- a place that would later become the principle spot for businesses.

In 1816 Mount Vernon was officially established.  By the year 1817 there was a recorded number of nearly fifteen families living around the area.

Timeline of Important Dates and Information:

1805-1816: The area becomes known as McFadden's Bluff and begins to grow.

1816: Mount Vernon is officially established.

1825: The Legislative Act of February 12, 1825 moves the County Seat to Mount Vernon.  It is recorded that the act allowed the town to grow and, for some time, allowed it to be ahead of Evansville in commercial importance.

1831: The first Steam Saw Mill in the county is constructed by Darius North, Virgil Soaper, and Andrew McFadden.  Darius North was also a co-founder of the first store opened in Mount Vernon, although the exact date in which the store was founded is unknown.

1838: The mill is destroyed by a fire.  It is rebuilt within the same year.

1850: Although the exact date was not found, sometime in the late 1850's Mount Vernon's first Public Market is seen.  It is recorded that the funds of the market came from Dan Rice, a clown in a traveling circus.  Rice visited Mount Vernon often, and was disappointed to find another circus set up upon his arrival, one year.  In an attempt to attract more people, Rice spread word that he would donate all of his afternoon earnings so that a market could be built.  The crowd is recorded to have been so large that Rice had to remove the sides of his tent, so that he could accommodate all viewers.

1851: A plank road connecting New Harmony to Mount Vernon is made.  Toll gates are established soon after and business increases rapidly between the two towns.  A population growth of nearly fifty percent is estimated and reported, and is largely attributed to the plank road.

1853: The Steam Saw Mill burns down, yet again.

1855: The Steam Saw Mill is rebuilt two years later.

1865: In February a seal is adopted.

1873: The Steam Saw Mill burns down yet again, for the third time.  This time it is never rebuilt.  A Cholera epidemic also ravages through the community, this year.  For roughl y two months the disease relentlessly carries on.

1892: Alexandrian Literary Society is organized at the residence of Mrs. Matilda Alexander.  Alexander believed that a library should be erected for all Mount Vernon citizens.

1895: September 28th marks the opening day of the Alexandrian Library, located in rooms in City Hall.

1904: Building begins on an actual library.

1905: On October 16th the Alexandrian Free Public Library is dedicated.