Vernon is the county seat of Lamar County and is located on the western border of the state. Songwriter and Muscle Shoals musician Dan Penn is a native. Originally named Swayne, after Union head of the Freedman's Bureau Gen. Wager Swayne, the town changed its name to Vernon in 1868.
History

Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Vernon recorded a population of 2,000. Of that number, 79.4 percent identified themselves as white, 18.1 percent as African American, 1.7 percent as Hispanic, 1.2 percent as two or more races, and 0.3 percent as Native American. The city's median household income was $25,759, and per capita income was $17,817.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Vernon was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (17.3 percent)
- Manufacturing (16.1 percent)
- Transportation and warehousing and utilities (14.5 percent)
- Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (14.4 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services (13.2 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (10.2 percent)
- Retail trade (6.0 percent)
- Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (4.2 percent)
- Information (1.8 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (0.9 percent)
- Construction (0.8 percent)
- Wholesale trade (0.6 percent)
Education
Vernon is part of the Lamar County Public Schools and has two multi-grade schools.
Transportation

Events and Places of Interest
In April, Vernon hosts its annual Vernon City Celebration, which offers attendees food and music as well as games and rides. The downtown Backstreet Opry venue offers a variety of performances by musicians, comedians, and other entertainers every Saturday night.