Mount Vernon has two major sections. South-side Mount Vernon is more urban, while north-side Mount Vernon is more residential. Mount Vernon's downtown business district is on the city's south side, which includes City Hall, Mount Vernon's main post office, Mount Vernon Public Library, office buildings, and other municipal establishments.[4]
History
South Fourth Avenue in the 1890sFormer trolley company building, Southside
The Mount Vernon area was first settled in 1664 by families from Connecticut as part of the Town of Eastchester.[1] Mount Vernon became a village in 1853, and a city in 1892.[1] Early development was driven by the New York Industrial Home Association No. 1, a home building cooperative organized to build homes for "tradesmen, employees, and other persons of small means".[5]
In 1894, the voters of Mount Vernon participated in a referendum on whether to consolidate into a new "City of Greater New York". The cities of Brooklyn (coterminous with Kings County) and Long Island City, the western towns and villages of Queens County, and all of Richmond County (present day Staten Island) all voted to join with the existing city (present day Manhattan and The Bronx). However, the returns were so negative in Mount Vernon and the adjacent city of Yonkers that those two areas were not included in the consolidated city and remain independent to this day.[6]
The Mount Vernon Public Library, a gift to the city from Andrew Carnegie, opened in 1904 and is now part of the Westchester Library System, providing educational, cultural and computer services to county residents of all ages. The Mount Vernon Trust Company, opened in 1903. It was the largest bank in Westchester County, with branches in the east and west sections of the city.[7][8]
During the 1960s, Mount Vernon was a divided city on the brink of a "northern style" segregation. Many African Americans from the southern United States migrated north and settled in the city of Mount Vernon for better job opportunities and educational advancements. At the same time, many white Americans from the Bronx and Manhattan looked to Mount Vernon as a new "bedroom community" because of rising crime in New York City (a "white flight" factor contributed as well). As a result, Mount Vernon became divided in two by the New Haven Line railroad tracks of the Metro-North Railroad: North Side and South Side. The population south of the tracks became predominantly African-American, while that north of the tracks was largely white.
At the height of this segregation in the 1970s, August Petrillo was mayor. When he died, Thomas E. Sharpe was elected mayor. Upon Sharpe's death in 1984, Carmella Iaboni took office as acting mayor until Ronald Blackwood was elected; Blackwood was the first Afro-Caribbean mayor of the city (as well as of any city in New York State). In 1996, Ernest D. Davis was elected the mayor of Mount Vernon; he served until 2007. Clinton I. Young, Jr. became the city's mayor on January 1, 2008. Four years later, on January 1, 2012, Ernest D. Davis became the 21st mayor of Mount Vernon. In 2013, Davis was investigated for failure to report rental income.[9] In 2015, Richard Thomas defeated Davis in an upset victory in the September primary. in the November general election, Thomas received 71% of the votes to become the mayor of Mount Vernon.[10][11]
In the subsequent 2019 election, Shawyn Patterson-Howard unseated the incumbent Mayor Thomas in a hotly contested June primary to become the new Democratic nominee and went on to capture 81% of the vote to defeat André Wallace (who had since been named Acting Mayor and ran as a Republican) in the general election in November to become the first black woman mayor of Mount Vernon (and of any city in Westchester County).[12][13]
Mount Vernon has in recent years undergone a transition from a city of homes and small businesses to a city of regional commerce. Between 2000 and 2006, Mount Vernon's economy grew 20.5%, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the New York metropolitan area.[14]
In January 2019, Moody withdrew its credit rating for Mount Vernon because of the city's failure to provide audited financial statements.[15] The failure to prepare and deliver audited financial statements stemmed from a disagreement as to which entity would pay for the audit of the Urban Renewal Agency (URA), one of the city's agencies, and which auditing firm would perform the audit.[16][17][18] Further clouding the city's financial condition is the prospect that it might have a repayment obligation to HUD in connection with grants previously awarded to the city [19]
2019 Mayoral dispute
On July 9, 2019, mayor Richard Thomas pleaded guilty to stealing campaign funds and lying to the State Board of Elections.[20] Thomas was ordered to resign from office by September 30, 2019. The city council then appointed council president Andre Wallace as acting mayor.[21] Thomas refused to resign from his post. Wallace then appointed Shawn Harris as new police commissioner. After arriving for work, Thomas ordered the Mount Vernon Police to arrest Harris for trespassing.[22] Harris was released after an order from the Westchester County District Attorney. Both Thomas and Wallace occupied offices in the city hall, with Thomas in the mayor's office, under the guard of the Mount Vernon Police.[21] Finally, before a packed courtroom in White Plains, Judge Ecker made a decisive ruling that Thomas had actually vacated the office of mayor on July 8, that Wallace had automatically assumed the office at that time, and that Wallace would be the acting mayor of Mount Vernon until January 1, 2020.
Mount Vernon Charter Revision Commission
In March 2019, Mayor Richard Thomas called for the formation of the Mount Vernon Charter Revision Commission, suggesting the charter was antiquated, dating to the late 19th century.[23] In August 2019, the Commission presented its final report [24] which included four key proposed changes to the City's Charter:
A new requirement for annual financial audits.
Quarterly financial reports showing the city's fiscal condition.
An updated comprehensive plan for economic growth.
Mount Vernon's elevation at City Hall is about 235 feet (72 m)[citation needed], reflecting its location between the Bronx River to the west and the Hutchinson River to the east. On a clear day, the Throgs Neck Bridge can be seen from 10 miles (20 km) away from many parts of the city, while at night, the bridge's lights can also be seen. The city's seal, created in 1892, depicts what were then considered the highest points in Mount Vernon: Trinity Place near Fourth Street, Vista Place at Barnes Avenue, and North 10th Avenue between Washington and Jefferson places. Since then, it was discovered that the city's highest elevation is on New York Route 22, North Columbus Avenue, at the Bronxville line.[citation needed]
Neighborhoods
Map of Mount Vernon's neighborhoodsThe Circle at Lincoln and Gramatan Avenues
Mount Vernon is typically divided into four major sections in four square miles: Downtown, Mount Vernon Heights, North Side, and South Side.
Downtown
Downtown Mount Vernon features the Gramatan Avenue and Fourth Avenue shopping district (known as "The Avenue" by locals[30]) and the Petrillo Plaza transit hub, and houses the city's central government.
Downtown is in the same condition it was 40 years ago. It features the same mid-century architecture and format. Former mayor Clinton Young vowed to make Mount Vernon a new epicenter with a new central business district. His failed plans included establishing commercial office space and rezoning to allow high density development in the downtown, as well as affordable and market rate housing.[31]
Mount Vernon Heights
Mount Vernon Heights' highly elevated terrain has earned the moniker "the rolling hills of homes".[citation needed] It is home to the city's commercial corridor, along Sandford Boulevard (6th Street). Vernon Hills has been reclaimed from the Village of Easchester that used it as the name the name as open mall shopping center.
Sandford Blvd (6th Street)—also known as "Sandford Square"—is a commercial corridor which attracts residents from Mount Vernon, nearby communities in Westchester County and the Bronx a well as other locales.
Most of the commercial development in this corridor has occurred since the 1980s. The area is still undergoing revitalization to encourage economic development within this 400-acre (1.6 km2) of land along and around the boulevard.[14]
North Side
Fleetwood Welcome Sign
Mount Vernon's North Side is one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Westchester County. The northern part of the city consists of five neighborhoods: Chester Heights, Estate Manor/Aubyn Estates, Fleetwood, Huntswood, and Oakwood Heights. In Fleetwood, many large co-op buildings line the center of town, which is bisected by Gramatan Avenue.
South Side
Church housed in a former synagogue on the South Side
Mount Vernon's South Side, which abuts The Bronx, resembles New York City and includes the neighborhoods Parkside, South Side and Vernon Park. Numerous industrial businesses are in Parkside, while the rest of South Side Mount Vernon features multi-family homes, apartment buildings, and commercial businesses.[citation needed]
Mount Vernon city, New York – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the U.S. Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 67,292 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 61.3% Black, 18.5% White, 0.3% Native American, 1.8% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race and 2.5% from two or more races. 14.3% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
2000 census data
As of the 2000 census,[35] 68,381 people, 27,048 households, and 18,432 families resided in the city. The population density was 14,290.3 inhabitants per square mile (5,517.5/km2), with 28,558 housing units at an average density of 7,205.9 per square mile (2,782.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 59.58% African American, 28.63% White, 10.48% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 4.85% from other races, 4.44% from two or more races, 2.12% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, and 0.32% Native American. A significant proportion of the population is of Brazilian descent; Brazilians can be included in the African American, White, Multiracial and/or Latino categories. Similarly, a significant part of the Black and/or Latino population is of Caribbean origin.
There were 27,048 households, of which 40.9% were married couples living together, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were non-families, and 28.0% had a female householder with no husband present. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years.
For every 100 females, there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,128, and the median income for a family was $55,573. Males had a median income of $41,493 versus $37,871 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,827. 13.9% of the population and 11.8% of families were below the poverty line. 12.7% of the population was 65 or older.
Economy
Mount Vernon's three major employers are the Mount Vernon city school district with (1,021 employees), Michael Anthony Jewelers (712 employees), and Mount Vernon Hospital (700 employees).[citation needed]
Mount Vernon also has an established Empire Zone for commercial and industrial use, in the southern portion of the city.
Parks and recreation
The grandstand at Memorial Field. The aging structure was finally demolished in May 2018.
The city limits contain a number of city parks large and small [citation needed], and Willson's Woods Park, a 23-acre (93,000 m2) county-owned park. One of the oldest parks in the county system, Willson's Woods offers a wave pool, water slides, and a spray deck and water playground, against the backdrop of an English Tudor style bathhouse. The park also has areas for picnicking and fishing.[36][This reference moved from previous location and citation needed template moved to unsourced statement above]
Government
Municipal Building
The City of Mount Vernon is governed by a five-member city council, a mayor, and a comptroller. As per the city charter, to balance power, the mayor runs every four years with two council members, and the comptroller runs two years after the mayor with three council members. Therefore, in 2019, the mayor and two council seats were up for re-election; in 2021 the remaining offices will be up for election. Beyond the regular political powers of elected officials, the City of Mount Vernon also has a checks and balances voting session called the Board of Estimate.
City council
The city council consists of five representatives, elected at-large, one of whom is the city council president. The city council president is appointed/elected by the existing city council members. Under normal circumstances the council presidency is rotated, as are the council committee assignments as chair of the four council committees. In recent years, the full rotation has ceased to reappoint the more experienced council members. The council president also serves as mayor, in the absence of the mayor. This can occur when the mayor is out of town, had resigned, or dies in office. When this happens the president pro tempore becomes acting city council president and the acting president pro tempore becomes assumes his/her duties.
January 1, 2018 – present (after winning an election that features former City Councilman Marcus Griffith, no independent official building have yet to be established by the City of Mount Vernon, authorized by the State of York, or U.S. House of Representative motion to do so as of November 16, 2021)
The Board of Estimate is composed of the mayor, the city council president, and the comptroller. The city council president votes on behalf of the city council. All monetary decisions, including the annual budget and many legal ramifications, must pass vote of the Board of Estimate, which meets every Tuesday after the city council's Wednesday legislative session.
The Mount Vernon city court is part of the New York State Unified Court System. It has three elected full-time judges who serve for ten years and one part-time associate judge who is appointed by the mayor for a period of eight years. The judges of the court are William Edwards, Adrian Armstrong, and Nichelle Johnson. Adam Seiden serves as an associate judge of the court. The court handles a wide variety of cases, including initial processing of all felony criminal cases; handling of all misdemeanor cases from inception through trial; civil proceedings with a limited monetary jurisdiction of up to $15,000; all landlord tenant cases originating in the city; small claims cases; and all vehicle and traffic law matters. The court is housed in the public safety complex, which is adjacent to City Hall.
In 2011, The Journal News featured an article titled "Region's Aging Schools Crumble as Finances Falter", by Cathey O'Donnell and Gary Stern. The article discussed several old school buildings within the region that were in disrepair, how much it would cost to fix them, and which if any might need to be demolished. The Mount Vernon school district was included in the article, which stated:
"In Mount Vernon, meanwhile, where a high school wall collapsed last year, inspectors flagged buildings for insufficient smoke detectors, poor air quality, evidence of rodents and vermin, halls without emergency lighting and junction boxes with exposed live wires."[58]
Infrastructure and services
Fire department
The city of Mount Vernon is protected by the City of Mount Vernon Fire Department (CMVFD).The CMVFD currently operates out of four firehouses, throughout the city, under the command of a Deputy Chief each shift. The department operates four engine companies, two ladder companies, and one rescue company. The department responds to approximately 8,000 emergency calls annually.[59]
Police department
As of 2021, the Mount Vernon Police Department has 184 officers.[60]
In May 2021, the District Attorney for Westchester County requested intervention by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for civil rights violations by the Mount Vernon Police Department. The DOJ announced its civil investigation in December 2021.[61]
Healthcare
The 115-year-old Mount Vernon Hospital[62] has 121 beds.[63] It is part of the Montefiore Health System and provides in-patient, critical care, and ambulatory services to residents of Mount Vernon and neighboring communities. The hospital is most known for its premier Chronic Wound Treatment and Hyperbaric Center, which is one of the most advanced in the Northeast. It also offers a variety of services, including the Assertive Community Treatment Center (ACT), the Family Health and Wellness Center, the Hopfer School of Nursing, Hyperbaric Medicine, and Intensive Case Management.[64]
Mount Vernon Hospital's emergency room treats 25,000 patients a year and is going to be expanded at a cost of $2.5 million, doubling its size from 9,000 to 18,500 square feet (800 to 1,700 m2). The expansion plans include 15 private treatment rooms and upgrades to the waiting area, triage room and other areas in the emergency department.[citation needed]
The area around the hospital has many medical office buildings and treatment facilities which provide healthcare to residents living in Mount Vernon, the southeast section of Yonkers, and the north Bronx, which shares a border with the city. For example, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, the Planned Parenthood affiliate that serves New York's Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties, opened its first medical center in Mount Vernon in 1935; the affiliate remains a vital source for reproductive health care services to Mount Vernon residents.[citation needed]
Places of worship
The city's previous motto was "A City That Believes". This is reflected in the houses of worship in the city that represent more than 25 denominations.[65]
Research has confirmed the tradition that Grace Baptist Church was founded in 1888 by a few women who formally had been enslaved and it discovered their names: Emily Waller, Matilda Brooks, Helen Claiborne, Sahar Bennett, and Elizabeth Benson.[66]
Petrillo Plaza, adjacent to Metro North's Mount Vernon East station in downtown Mount Vernon, is the hub for Westchester's Bee-Line Bus System service in Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon's taxi services operate from Petrillo Plaza as well.[citation needed]
Bee-Line Bus routes serving Mount Vernon are 7, 40, 41, 42, 43, 52, 53, 54, 55, as well as the 91, which operates during the summer.[67][68]
A New York City Bus route (MTA) serves two blocks in Mount Vernon along the NYC border. The New York City Bus Bronx Route travels along Mundy Lane (S. 11th Avenue) between W. 5th Street (Nereid Avenue) and W. Sandford Blvd (Pittman Avenue).[69]
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999): shot a scene in Willson's Woods Park, which was transformed to look like Central Park; the Vernon Woods co-op complex was used to stage and store equipment during the scene.[83]
The Book of Henry (2017): the ending scene with the main characters walking out of the courthouse.[citation needed] It is unclear if the entire story took place in Mount Vernon or not.
Television
Scenes from multiple TV shows have been shot in Mount Vernon, such as:
^Nevius, Michelle & Nevius, James (2009), Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City, New York: Free Press, ISBN141658997X, p.177-78
^"2 Banks Merge In Mt. Vernon". The Yonkers Herald. Yonkers, New York. July 18, 1930. p. 2. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
^ ab*"Berg Resigns Mayors Post," Mount Vernon (New York) Daily Argus, July 2, 1931, p. 1, 4th col.; Old Fulton New York Post Cards (http://www.fultonhistory.comArchived March 27, 2019, at the Wayback Machine : accessed December 31, 2018) Browse Archives > Historical Newspapers United States and Canada > Mount Vernon NY Daily Argus > Mount Vernon NY Daily Argus 1931 > Mount Vernon NY Daily Argus 1931 – 3790.pdf
^Williams, Lena (February 3, 1985). "Blackwood Outlines Goals As Mayor". The New York Times. p. WC1. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
^"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on April 12, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2014.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Liberty Lines
^"Dr. Christine Haycock". The Nutley Sun. January 31, 2008. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and raised in Richmond, Va., before moving to Nutley, Dr. Haycock went from Nutley High School to the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing.
^"Board of Directors". Official Web Site of the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
^ abMaker, Greg (October 3, 2012). "Mount Vernon...Did You Know?". Mount Vernon Daily Voice. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
^Vermeulen, Timotheus (2014). "Introduction". Scenes from the Suburbs: The Suburb in Contemporary US Film and Television. Edinburgh University Press. p. 13. ISBN9780748691661. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
United States
New York
