Vernon, TX
Music connected to Vernon
About Vernon
- • Roy Orbison, the legendary singer-songwriter, was born in Vernon, TX in 1936.
- • The "Santa Rosa Roundup," a major rodeo, originated near Vernon and continues annually.
- • The Fort Worth and Denver Railway established Vernon as a cattle shipping center.
- • A supposed curse haunts the Vernon National Bank, built on Native American burial grounds.
- • The Red River flood of 1908 devastated Vernon, reshaping its infrastructure.
- • Named for Walter Vernon, a surveyor, the city was incorporated in 1889.
- • With about 10,000 residents, the population is half its peak in the 1940s.
- • Sitting at 1,209 feet, the elevation lends to wide open Texas skies.
- • Agriculture and related industries drive Vernon's economy.
- • Small town charm offers a simple, peaceful, and friendly atmosphere.
- • The Dallas Cowboys, about 180 miles away, are the closest major pro team.
- • Vernon High School's football team won a state championship in 1952.
- • The area's landscape is shaped by Permian redbed formations.
- • The Pease River flows near Vernon, eventually joining the Red River.
- • White-tailed deer are common in the surrounding area.
- • Mesquite trees are a dominant feature of the local landscape.
- • The area was historically inhabited by Wichita and other Plains tribes.
- • In 1979, Vernon was declared a disaster area after severe flooding.
- • The Wilbarger County Courthouse, a Romanesque Revival building, was built in 1890.
- • U.S. Route 70 passes through Vernon, connecting it to nearby cities.
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Songs About Vernon
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