Mount Vernon Revisited
About this eBook
An important gateway suburban community, Mount Vernon was formed around the construction of two commuter rail lines to and from New York City. In the first quarter of the 20th century, its contiguous borders with Greater New York, rapid population growth, automobiles, petroleum, and industrial development set the stage for the encroachment of urban realities on the upwardly mobile founders' hopes for a sustained and prosperous suburban lifestyle. Through images that illustrate the power of 20th-century transportation technologies, new energy sources, and dynamic demographic forces on this "City of Happy Homes,"
About the author
Larry H. Spruill, PhD, has spent a half century living and working in Mount Vernon and has served as city historian for the past 25 years. He is an author, award-winning photographer, and history professor at Morehouse College. Donna M. Jackson is a lifelong Mount Vernon resident and a public history and heritage program professional. She serves as assistant city historian, is on the Westchester County Historical Society Board of Directors, and is an executive administrative assistant at the Mount Vernon Board of Education.
