Mount Vernon, town in and county seat of Franklin County, Texas, United States
Mount Vernon is the county seat of Franklin County in northeastern Texas and preserves numerous 19th-century buildings around its central square. The town features a Classical Revival courthouse built in 1912, a museum inside a 1940 fire station, a depot from 1894, and over 60 restored historic homes that give the community its distinctive character.
Mount Vernon was founded in 1849 after land was donated by the Keith family, and received its name in 1875 honoring George Washington's famous estate. When Franklin County was created in 1875, the town became its seat and grew through agriculture and later, after oil was discovered in 1936, through the energy industry.
The name Mount Vernon honors George Washington's famous estate and shapes the town's identity to this day. The community lives strongly by its connection to the past, visible in the many restored homes and the local motto: "Don't destroy it, restore it."
The town is easily accessible via Interstate 30, which connects to nearby cities like Sulphur Springs. The visitors center in the Henry Clay Thruston House from 1868 is a good starting point to explore the historic sites and museums such as the Fire Station Museum and the depot.
The Fire Station Museum displays a surprising collection of stuffed eggs from extinct bird species, an unexpected detail for what is otherwise a museum focused on local history and sports memorabilia. This collection was privately donated and makes the visit a memorable experience.
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