Mount Vernon From Above: A Courthouse, a Memorial, and the Life Between Them
My first Drone Drifter expedition explores two places that preserve the history and community life of Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Mount Vernon, Illinois, is more than a point along the highway.
My first Drone Drifter expedition visits its historic appellate courthouse—where Abraham Lincoln once argued cases—and Veterans Memorial Park, a community space shaped by remembrance and generations of local life.
Watch DD-0001 below, then continue reading to discover the stories behind the places in the film.
A City at the Crossroads
Mount Vernon was founded in 1817 by Zadok Casey and named after George Washington’s Virginia estate. Its position along the historic Vandalia Road helped establish the growing settlement as a crossroads for travelers and commerce in southern Illinois.
After Jefferson County was created in 1819, Mount Vernon became its county seat. The city’s relationship with the Illinois court system grew even more significant during the nineteenth century, drawing prominent attorneys—including Abraham Lincoln—to argue cases there.
Today, Mount Vernon is known as the “Festival Arts City” and remains an important regional center. Its history is still visible in the buildings and public spaces that have endured at the heart of the community.
The Fifth District Appellate Courthouse
The white courthouse shown in DD-0001 is the Fifth District Appellate Courthouse at 14th and Main Streets.
It should not be confused with the present Jefferson County Courthouse on South 10th Street. The appellate courthouse is the older Greek Revival building, distinguished by its symmetrical façade, elevated courtroom, and twin exterior stairways.
Constructed during the 1850s and later enlarged, the building’s upper floor contained the courtroom. The lower level provided accommodations and working space for judges and court officials who traveled to Mount Vernon when court was in session.
Before becoming president, Abraham Lincoln practiced law here. Historical accounts connect him with multiple cases argued in Mount Vernon, including legal work performed on behalf of the Illinois Central Railroad.
The courthouse remains in judicial use. The Fifth District Appellate Court now hears appeals originating in 48 Illinois counties, allowing the building to serve as both a historic landmark and an active part of the state’s court system.
From the air, its form becomes especially clear. The bright façade, raised entrance, surrounding trees, and careful symmetry separate it from the buildings around it.
It does not overwhelm the cityscape. It holds its place quietly—a surviving piece of nineteenth-century Illinois still performing its civic purpose.
Veterans Memorial Park
The second half of the film moves from the courthouse to Veterans Memorial Park at 800 South 27th Street.
The park is centered around a six-acre lake with fountains, small islands, footbridges, and a gazebo. A one-mile walking and biking trail follows the water, while playgrounds, courts, shelters, and open recreation areas make the park an everyday gathering place.
Its history is more varied than its present appearance might suggest.
The grounds once contained a small city zoo with animals that reportedly included lions, monkeys, and zebras. The park was also associated with the Mount Vernon Kings, a minor-league baseball team that played during the first half of the twentieth century. The Kings hosted league All-Star Games in 1949 and 1951 before playing their final season in 1954.
Today, the park’s name carries a solemn meaning.
At its entrance stands the Veterans Memorial, dedicated on December 7, 2022. Memorial bricks bearing the names, ranks, and military service of individual veterans line the approach, creating a permanent record of local service and sacrifice.
That combination gives the park its character. It is simultaneously a place of remembrance and a living public space.
Visitors can pause at the memorial, then continue toward the lake, walking trail, playgrounds, or community buildings. Memory is not isolated from everyday life here. It exists alongside it.
What the Drone Reveals
The courthouse and Veterans Memorial Park serve very different purposes, but the aerial perspective reveals a connection between them.
The courthouse represents civic memory preserved through architecture. The park represents memory carried through public space and repeated community use.
One invites us to look back at the institutions and people that helped shape Illinois. The other demonstrates how remembrance can exist alongside ordinary life: walking, fishing, playing, meeting, and watching fountains move across a lake.
DD-0001 has no narration or recorded location sound. The drone captured only images, leaving the music and movement of the camera to guide the experience.
That restraint feels appropriate for Mount Vernon. This is not a story that needs to be shouted. It is a quiet look at two places that have remained useful while carrying the weight of what came before them.
Sometimes the most revealing journeys are not to distant landmarks.
They begin by looking more carefully at the places people pass every day.
DD-0001: Mount Vernon, Illinois is the first Drone Drifter aerial expedition.
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