Mt. Vernon in Mobile County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Mount Vernon Historical Museum and Train Depot
Mount Vernon History Trail
Photographed by Mark Hilton
1. Mount Vernon Historical Museum and Train Depot Marker
Inscription.
Mount Vernon Historical Museum and Train Depot. . In 1872 the Mobile and Alabama Grand Trunk Railroad Company laid the first tracks to the town of Mount Vernon, with daily service to Mobile. A year later, the company extended their rail line north to the Tombigbee River - where a ferryboat carried freight and passengers across to another track heading toward Montgomery - before running out of money.
This was the age of the Robber Barons, and the next few years saw many mergers of railroad companies. In 1887 the Eastern Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway bought this line and obtained the right to construct a freight and passenger depot at Mount Vernon. Although still owned by ETV&G, this line from Mobile to Selma was renamed the Mobile and Birmingham Railway Company a year later. M&BR was acquired by Southern Railway in 1899. Around the turn of the 20th century, Mount Vernon was also served by a narrow- gauge system operated by Tombigbee and Northern Railroad. This short line was absorbed into the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad system and the tracks were converted to standard gauge in 1905.
For many years the Frisco Line ran to the west of US Highway 43, and the Norfolk Southern Line ran to the east; today only the Norfolk Southern tracks remain in use.
The Mount Vernon Historical Preservation Society is a not-for- profit organization committed to preserving the history of Mount Vernon, Alabama, and surrounding areas. We are interested in history in all its forms - oral history, written records, photographs and other media, as well as artifacts and buildings of historical significance. The Town of Mount Vernon acquired this wonderful old train depot in 2010 for use by the Mount Vernon Historical Preservation Society as a museum. With help from many contributors and dedicated volunteers, our museum will soon move from a dream to a reality, with interpretive displays and exhibits that tell the stories of those who came before us. Here in Mount Vernon we believe "History is Our Future." Join us in preserving knowledge of our past, so that we can learn from our ancestors and appreciate how they created this nation and community.
Photo captions: , [Top left] Railroad Stock Certificate, 1874 , [Bottom left] The circa 1920s steam engine Mobile River Saw Mill Co #18 in storage at Mount Vernon in 1959 (Photograph by John C. Hawkins, courtesy of Ralph W. Hawkins and Hawkins Rails.net) , [Top middle] Southern Railway Depot, 1970s (Courtesy of the Alabama Department of Archives and History Montgomery, Alabama) , [Bottom middle] Map of Alabama showing Railroads circa 1891 (from King's Handbook of the United States by Moses Foster Sweetser)
In 1872 the Mobile and Alabama Grand Trunk Railroad
Company laid the first tracks to the town of Mount Vernon,
with daily service to Mobile. A year later, the company
extended their rail line north to the Tombigbee River - where a
ferryboat carried freight and passengers across to another
track heading toward Montgomery - before running out of
money.
This was the age of the Robber Barons, and the next few
years saw many mergers of railroad companies. In 1887 the
Eastern Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railway bought this
line and obtained the right to construct a freight and
passenger depot at Mount Vernon. Although still owned by
ETV&G, this line from Mobile to Selma was renamed the
Mobile and Birmingham Railway Company a year later. M&BR
was acquired by Southern Railway in 1899. Around the turn of
the 20th century, Mount Vernon was also served by a narrow-
gauge system operated by Tombigbee & Northern Railroad.
This short line was absorbed into the Alabama, Tennessee &
Northern Railroad system and the tracks were converted to
standard gauge in 1905.
For many years the Frisco Line ran to the west of US Highway
43, and the Norfolk Southern Line ran to the east; today only the
Norfolk Southern tracks remain in use.
The Mount Vernon Historical Preservation Society is a not-for-
profit organization committed to preserving the history of Mount
Vernon, Alabama, and surrounding areas. We are interested in
history in all its forms - oral history, written records, photographs
and other media, as well as artifacts and buildings of historical
significance. The Town of Mount Vernon acquired this wonderful
old train depot in 2010 for use by the Mount Vernon Historical
Preservation Society as a museum. With help from many
contributors and dedicated volunteers, our museum will soon
move from a dream to a reality, with interpretive displays and
exhibits that tell the stories of those who came before us. Here in
Mount Vernon we believe "History is Our Future." Join us in
preserving knowledge of our past, so that we can learn from our
ancestors and appreciate how they created this nation and
community.
Photo captions:
[Top left] Railroad Stock Certificate, 1874
[Bottom left] The circa 1920s steam engine Mobile River Saw Mill Co #18 in
storage at Mount Vernon in 1959 (Photograph by John C. Hawkins,
courtesy of Ralph W. Hawkins and Hawkins Rails.net)
[Top middle] Southern Railway Depot, 1970s (Courtesy of the Alabama
Department of Archives and History Montgomery, Alabama)
[Bottom middle] Map of Alabama showing Railroads circa 1891
(from King's Handbook of the United States by Moses Foster Sweetser)
Erected by Town
Click or scan to see this page online
of Mount Vernon. (Marker Number 3.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.
Location. 31° 5.107′ N, 88° 0.853′ W. Marker is in Mt. Vernon, Alabama, in Mobile County. It is at the intersection of Old Military Road (Alabama Route 96) and State Street, on the right when traveling east on Old Military Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mount Vernon AL 36560, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Alabama’s Gulf Coast, in Mobile Bay, and in the Mobile Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured
Photographed by Mark Hilton, May 2, 2020
2. Mount Vernon Historical Museum and Train Depot and Marker
3. Orientation Map of the Mt Vernon History Trail (#3 on bottom right)
Map (marker) is located at intersection of US-43 and Coy Smith Hwy. Marker has not weathered well. Attempts to clean it were not successful
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,455 times since then and 107 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 3, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
