1805History
== History ==
The community was platted in 1805, and named after Mount Vernon, the estate owned by George Washington.
1953Disaster
In May 1953, the telephone exchange for the entire city was destroyed by fire, disrupting calls for months.
1959Disaster
In January 1959, a severe flood caused 500 homes to be evacuated and caused $5 million in damage.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,256 people, 6,187 households, and 3,730 families living in the city.
2010History
=== 2010 census ===
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,990 people, 7,110 households, and 4,016 families living in the city.
2014Economy
It was acquired by Rolls-Royce North America, and in 2014 Siemens bought the Mount Vernon plant.
2016History
Facing a declining market, Siemens announced major reductions in employment in October 2016 and in 2018 announced their Mount Vernon facility would close by 2019.