In brief: Fall 2019

By Dee Ann Rexroat

The unidentified photo (above) from the 1950s politely reminds us of our longtime athletic rivalry with the Kohawks. Photo courtesy of the Cornell College Archives.

Double stops

Stoplight A new sight at the edge of campus may stop you in your tracks.

Mount Vernon recently doubled the number of stoplights in town. Instead of one set, there are now two. The new lights are located at the east edge of campus on the corner of First (Main) Street and Fifth Avenue, which is a major artery for children walking to school. Check out the special historic design of the lights next time you stop.

Taft ate what?

Descendants of William Brackett brought news of a long ago celebrity visit when they stayed at Cornell’s Brackett House Bed and Breakfast recently.

“Ex-President Taft had toothsome possum for one of his meals, while tarrying at the college last week,” according to the Nov. 16, 1916, Lisbon Herald news clip they presented. The account added that it was Taft’s favorite meat and was served at the dining table of Clara Brackett Smith Spear.

Brackett House Innkeeper Kim Benesh posted the clip on Brackett House’s Facebook page, adding, “And I promise we will not be adding this to our breakfast menu!”

DIY Ulysses

You can now make your own Ulysses with a kit available on etsy. The stuffed ram was designed for Cornell College and the mini mascots can be seen accompanying admission counselors at college fairs. The full kit, or just the pattern, is available by searching Ulysses the Ram.

First-year students volunteered at 18 locations around Mount Vernon and Lisbon on Service Day during New Student Orientation.

We’re the youngest

With an average age of 22.4, Mount Vernon is the youngest town in Iowa. Business Insider determined the youngest town in each state using American Community Survey census estimates for places with a population of at least 1,000 (excluding college campuses and military bases). Many, like Mount Vernon, are college t1owns. Few, we believe, are quite as charming.

View photos of the New Student Orientation Service Day, students making s’mores around the fire pit, and a series showing the renovation of King Chapel’s clock tower and 1882 Seth Thomas clock.

King Chapel's clock tower and its 1882 Seth Thomas were restored.
King Chapel's clock tower and its 1882 Seth Thomas were restored.
The Cornell baseball team assists in bringing clock parts up into King Chapel's tower.
King Chapel's clock tower and its 1882 Seth Thomas were restored.
New metal trim surrounds the clock faces on King Chapel’s tower, created by scanning the 1890s trim with a 3D scanner and manufacturing new ones to the exact dimensions of the originals. The trim was installed in fall before the refurbished Seth Thomas clock returned to keep time again.
King Chapel's clock tower and its 1882 Seth Thomas were restored.
First-year students volunteered at 18 locations around Mount Vernon and Lisbon on Service Day during New Student Orientation.
Students make s’mores around the Thomas Commons fire pit on one of the first cool evenings of fall.