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Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

Exploring the Stories and History of Mount Vernon, Iowa

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      • Procedures of the Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission
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  • Historic Districts
    • Owning Property in a Historic District
    • Ash Park District
      • Ash Park District Description
      • Ash Park Walking Tour
      • Ash Park NRHP Registration Form.pdf
    • Commercial District
      • Commercial District Description
      • Commercial District Walking Tour
      • Commercial NRHP Registration Form.pdf
    • Cornell College District
      • Cornell College District Description
      • Cornell College NRHP Registration Form.pdf
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    • Mount Vernon Photos
    • Ash Park District – Photos
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  • History
    • A Short History of Mount Vernon
    • Map of How Mount Vernon Grew
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    • Mount Vernon / Lisbon Newspapers (1860 – 2012)
    • A Centennial History of Mount Vernon, Iowa: 1847-1947
    • A Survey of Brick Buildings in Mount Vernon, Iowa 1850-1859
    • 2023 Treasure Play
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Commercial District – Photos

Photo of Painting of Downtown Southside Sun Newspaper by Mark Benesh

If you want to see where it all began, take a stroll through the Commercial District. Mount Vernon began as a town which serviced travelers along the first north-south highway in the state: Highway One. The town consisted of dry goods stores, repair shops for wagons and harnesses, and a watering trough at the intersection of Main Street and Highway One. This intersection was the birthplace of Mount Vernon.

Today the Commercial District harbors several outstanding restaurants, antique shops, and boutiques. The district also serves as headquarters for many of Mount Vernon’s quintessential events—Chalk the Walk, Chili Cook-Off, Magical Night—so stop by! No matter the season, there’s always something exciting happening in the Commercial District.


122 First Street West. AN-NU Dress Shop

Photo of AN-NU dress shop

AN-NU Dress Shop. “The only dress shop in Town.” Listed in the 1952 City Directory.

Categories Commercial District - Photos, Mount Vernon's Historic Photos Tags City Directory, Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

Mushroom hunters in front of Northside Tavern. @ 1938

Photo of mushroom hunters in front of Northside Tavern. @ 1939

Mushroom hunters in front of Northside Tavern. @ 1938 April 29, 1938 Mushrooms from Grand … Read more …

Categories Commercial District - Photos, Mount Vernon's Historic Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

113 First Street West. @2019

Photo of 113 First Street West

113 First Street West

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

103-101 First Street West. @2019

Photo of 103-101 First Street West

103-101 First Street West

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Lee Niederhauser, Mount Vernon

100 First Street East @2019

Photo of 100 First Street East

100 First Street East @2019 Sing-A-Long Bar & Grill

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

114 First Street West, @ 2019

Photo of 114 First Street West

114 First Street West, @ 2019 Ink Impressions

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

118 First Street West, @ 2019

Photo of 118 First Street West

118 First Street West, @ 2019 The Sweet Factory

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

120 First Street West

Photo of 120 First Street West
Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

100 First Street West

Photo of Kae Apothecary 2019

100 First Street West, Kae Apothecary 2019  

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

122 and 122 1/2

Photo of Squiers Studio and Shear Image 2019

Squiers Studio and Shear Image Salon 2019

Categories Commercial District - Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

First Street West

Photo of First Street West taken December 29, 2017

First Street West. Photographed by Sue Lacy on December 29, 2017. Photo is looking East … Read more …

Categories Commercial District - Photos, Mount Vernon's Historic Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon

102 First Street W

Photo of building at 102 First Street W

102 First Street W. Hoover Jewelry Store built in 1894. Photographed January 2018.

Categories Commercial District - Photos, Mount Vernon's Historic Photos Tags Commercial Historic District, Mount Vernon
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Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

2 years ago

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission
The MVHPC partnered with the Linn County Historic Preservation Commission and the Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development Group on the placement of two new informational kiosks about the history of the Lincoln Hwy in Lisbon and Mount Vernon. There was a commemoration at the Kiosk in Lisbon on Oct. 6 with a poem created for the event by Poet Laureate Amanda Kibbie. The MV Kiosk is located in Prairie Park next to the Cornell football field. The MV kiosk faces one of the last remaining brick portions of the Lincoln Hwy and is near the 10th Avenue Overpass. The overpass was built in approximately 1910 as a part of the Lincoln Hwy. Credit to Steven Ciha of the LCHPC for images. ... See MoreSee Less

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Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

2 years ago

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission
UPDATE!!! Thanks to Jay and Arlie Willems, the circa 1910 glass negatives are now in the Mount Vernon Archives. We are grateful to Arlie and Jay for transporting the negatives and to Joe Burkart of Crestview Florida for donating them.Photo collectors in Crestview Florida have glass plate negatives of a photographer named Hodson who worked in and around Mount Vernon in 1910. The collectors have offered the negatives to the MVHPC. The plates are fragile and very heavy, so shipping them is not a good option. Is anyone planning to travel by car to Florida anytime in the next year and willing pick up these negatives in the panhandle of the state? If so, please send a message on this site to the site administrator. ... See MoreSee Less
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Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission updated their status.

2 years ago

Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission

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