These two old buildings on Church Street in downtown Mount Vernon, Ga., caught the eye of photographer Michael Kaynard. Both seem to be old stores. the left of which seems to be re-purposed as a hair salon. The right one appeared empty.
Kaynard observed that people in Montgomery County seemed proud of the renovation of the county courthouse, which was nearby. But in the square around the courthouse, there weren’t many active businesses. “I spoke with a young woman in city hall and two of the businesses I asked about had been closed since before she arrived there” several years back, he said.
Georgia photographer Brian Brown of VanishingSouthGeorgia.com also enjoy these two Church Street buildings, saying here that they’re his two favorites in Mount Vernon.
- See more of Brown’s photos of Mount Vernon and Montgomery County.
These days, Montgomery County and the area around Mount Vernon seem strapped, but interestingly, the population is about 50 percent bigger than it was in the late 1960s when Brack visited. In 2012, the estimated population was just under 9,000 — some 3,000 more people than in the 1970 Census. More.
Some 21.6 percent of people in the county live at or below the federal poverty level.
Photo by Michael Kaynard, May 2013. All rights reserved.