07/24/2026
Some great facts about Vernon Florida
Photo Dated: March 6th 2026
Long before highways connected our communities, Holmes Creek helped shape the story of Vernon, Florida.
In the early 1800s, settlers began building homes and businesses near the creek, where trading posts, stagecoaches and small steamboats brought people, mail and supplies through the area. Vernon quickly became an important stopping point between Tallahassee and Pensacola.
In 1851, Vernon became the first permanent county seat of Washington County. For more than 75 years, families traveled there for court proceedings, elections, business and community gatherings.
The town was reportedly named after Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington—a fitting name for a community located in Washington County.
As railroads began changing Northwest Florida, more businesses and residents moved toward towns located along the tracks. In 1927, the county seat was moved from Vernon to Chipley, bringing an end to an important chapter in the town’s history.
But Vernon’s story did not end there.
Its schools, churches, farms, timber operations and generations of local families continued shaping the community we know today. The historic Vernon school building, constructed in 1931, now serves as City Hall and helps preserve photographs, documents and memories from years gone by.
Vernon may be a small town today, but its history reminds us that it once stood at the center of travel, trade and government in Washington County.
Preserving these stories allows future generations to remember where we came from—and the people and places that helped build our county.