Grave of the Old Shepherd

In his book, "Old Matt's View of It," J.K. Ross wrote about the death of the Old Shepherd from Mutton Hollow. He was gored to death by a bull. A Civil War tombstone marks the grave of James Marion Wood, who met this untimely fate in 1910. Wood and author, Harold Bell Wright, were fellow residents of Mt. Vernon in 1897, before both moved to the area where Wright wrote his notes for the book that was to make the Branson area famous. The characters for Jim and Sammy Lane and Preachin" Bill were also based on Lawrence County friends of Wright.

Address: The grave is located in Williams Cemetery, 3 miles west on Highway "V"

City Parks

Williams Creek Park and the "Spirit of 76" Recreation Complex - Mt. Vernon's largest and newest park is the "Spirit of 76"

Mt. Vernon, MO Recreation

"Brick" Presbyterian Church

The beautiful, stately, historic church, known familiarly as Brick Church because of its 17-inch thick brick walls, stands solidly in a picturesque setting of prairie land.

The church, organized in 1854 was built in 1872 to last as a house of praise to the Lord. Today'

Mt. Vernon, MO Historic Churches