Vernon

Formed March 1, 1851 (104^th county)

Vernon County (19,710), Nevada (8,215)

The classic 1907 stone Romanesque Revival courthouse is located in a square surrounded by Cherry, Main, Walnut, and Cedar streets.  The stone for this courthouse came from the same quarry as the Jasper County courthouse.  United States Highway 54 passes one block south of the location.  Frederick Hibbard and Robert G. Kirsch, Jr., are the building architects.  There have been 1855 and 1868 versions earlier in Nevada, the only county seat.  Wooden stairs lead from the first to the second floor inside.  The county was formed on March 1, 1851 from Bates County as the 104^th county.  The county is named for War of 1812 hero Colonel Miles Vernon.  Nevada gets its name from Nevada City, California.  Vernon County was the birthplace for 1 Missouri Governor, John M. Dalton. 

The area of the county is 834 square miles.  It is 8 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 55 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 23.6 persons per square mile making it 71 out of 115 in the state.  Vernon County has 48.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 49 travels north to south from Bates County to Barton County.  United States Highway 54 crosses the county east to west from Cedar County to Kansas.  United States Highway 71 is joined with Interstate 49 from Bates County to Barton County.  The county is overall rectangular.  Nevada is located slightly south of center in the county.  Nevada is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 41.7% of the county population. 

Vernon County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Vernon, Barton, Cedar, and Dade counties and One County Court Judge serves Vernon County.  The county is in southwest Missouri on the border with Kansas.  Kansas City, Missouri is north and Springfield, Missouri is southeast of the county.  The county center is in Nevada 1.3 miles North-Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Bates, Saint Clair, Cedar, and Barton counties and Kansas.