SMALL TOWN LIVE: Mount Vernon offers beauty, culture and family fun

MOUNT VERNON, Texas ( KETK ) – The “Coolest Little Town in Texas” is in the spotlight for this July 30 edition of Small Town Live.

The county seat of Franklin County is found just off of I-30, boasting a population of just over 2,500.

Near their downtown area is The Chophouse, a family-owned restaurant where KETK’s Isaac Ramirez caught up with some community leaders.

“We are just the coolest little town in Texas to begin with– I love it, it’s my hometown,” Mayor and Chophouse owner Brad Hyman said. “Number one, I think it’s the family atmosphere that’s county-wide… got one of the most beautiful lakes in Texas, Lake Cypress Springs.”

Above all, Hyman said, the people are what make the town so remarkable.

“It’s just a wonderful family atmosphere,” Hyman said. “It’s a vibrant town, we’re growing– it’s very important that we get our infrastructure caught up and up to date, and we’re doing that. It’s just a fun town, great places to eat and visit.”

Among those attractions are the Old Jail Art Museum, the Alamo Mission Museum and the Don Meredith Exhibit, dedicated to the famed Dallas Cowboys Quarterback, in the Fire Station Museum.

Kassidy Wesson, the Main Street Manager, explained upcoming events this fall and next spring.

“The CountryFest, it is the 49th year this year, and it will be bigger than ever,” Wesson said. “It is put on by the Mount Vernon Key Club, so that will be the second Saturday in October. We also have an event coming called Spring Into Downtown, and that will be the second Saturday in April.”

Among the unique features of Mount Vernon is Smokey Row, marked by a big arch just at the end of downtown. One might guess the area is named for a fire that destroyed the town in 1860, but that is not the case, as KETK’s Isaac Ramirez explains in the video below:

Mount Vernon City Manager Craig Lindholm said the city’s demographics are trending younger, with the highest percentage in the 31 to 40-year-old range.

“I think one of the biggest drivers that we have with that is we have an incredibly great school system,” Lindholm said. “We’re seeing a lot of folks from the metroplex move out here because they want a simpler life with a lot of great amenities. Like the mayor said, we have a lot of great places to eat, a lot of stuff to do, we have great parks, we’re working on enhancing our parks and our downtown plaza.”

A vibrant atmosphere filled with community and history can be found in the smallest of places, and that’s why we salute Mount Vernon.

“I’ve always said, if you’re looking to be on the set of a Hallmark movie, come to Mount Vernon, Texas,” Lindholm said, “because that’s what you’re going to get.”

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